What Can Cause a Cyberattack in the First Place?

Cyberattacks are nothing to take lightly. Every year, they cause millions of dollars of damage to unprepared and unprotected businesses, which leads to many of these businesses’ failure. Let’s talk about what ultimately causes cyberattacks, so you know the kinds of situations and behaviors to keep an eye out for.

What Are Some Common Sources of a Data Breach-Causing Cyberattack?

Malware Can Assist a Cybercriminal into Accessing and Looting Your Network

This is the one that most people would think of, when they think of a cyberattack. Various types of malware—for instance, spyware—are regularly used for the express purpose of extracting data from data storage. That being said, a data breach doesn’t even necessarily mean that data was stolen… it just means that it was accessed. Regardless, there are countless malware samples and variants out there that pose a threat to business security.

Your Employees Can Unintentionally Hand Data Over

Phishing is a very common tactic for cybercriminals to use as a means of gaining data, or access to data, in a remarkably low-tech way: subterfuge. All the cybersecurity protections in the world won’t protect your data if an employee has been fooled into sharing it. 

That Said, Employees Can Also Intentionally Hand Data Over

Insider threats are, unfortunately, a real threat. A disgruntled team member could easily steal data for their own gain or even just as a means of damaging your business’ reputation. While it isn’t pleasant to think of your team members in this way, it unfortunately needs to be a consideration.

Some Employees May Have Personal Reasons for Breaching Your Data

 Of course, there is also the possibility that your employees are creating trouble for you as a means of making a political or social statement—not intending to hurt you, necessarily, but doing so as a side effect of their own mission. Obviously, the fact that no malice is directed to you is a small comfort compared to the impact this breach will have on your business.

Password Issues are Linked to Many Breaches

If you’re sick of hearing about how important solid password practices are, imagine how sick we are of saying it. Nevertheless, poor password practices are still responsible for a great number of data breaches, despite numerous tools now being available to make more secure practices much easier.

Losing a Device Can Directly Lead to a Breach, Too

Now, what happens if a device is misplaced? Not only is this an expensive mistake to make, in terms of hardware, but without the proper precautions put in place, it could easily mean that any data on the lost hardware has officially been breached.

Hard Copies Can Easily Be Lost or Stolen As Well

Finally, we have to address the inherent vulnerability of hard copies of your data. Not only are they more vulnerable to data loss in general, they are just easier for an enterprising criminal to steal. It would be advisable to reconsider which documents are ultimately put to paper and retained.

Stick Around for Ways You Can Secure Your Business Better

We’ll be touching on a few ways you can make your business more secure a little later in the week, but if you’d like to learn more a little sooner, you can always reach out to us at (703) 821-8200.