What is a Cyber Attack?

Before heading to the different types of cyber attacks, we will first walk you
through a cyber attack. When there is an unauthorized system/network
access by a third party, we term it as a cyber attack. The person who
carries out a cyberattack is termed as a hacker/attacker. 

Cyber-attacks have several negative effects. When an attack is carried out,

it can lead to data breaches, resulting in data loss or data manipulation.
Organizations incur financial losses, customer trust gets hampered, and
there is reputational damage. To put a curb on cyberattacks, we
implement cybersecurity. Cybersecurity is the method of safeguarding
networks, computer systems, and their components from unauthorized
digital access.

The COVID-19 situation has also had an adverse impact on cybersecurity.

According to Interpol and WHO, there has been a notable increase in the
number of cyberattacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Now that you know what a cyber attack is, let look at the different types of
cyberattacks.

Types of Cyber Attacks

There are many varieties of cyber attacks that happen in the world today. If
we know the various types of cyberattacks, it becomes easier for us to
protect our networks and systems against them. Here, we will closely
examine the top ten cyber-attacks that can affect an individual, or a large
business, depending on the scale. 

1. Malware Attack

This is one of the most common types of cyberattacks. “Malware” refers to

malicious software viruses including worms, spyware, ransomware,
adware, and trojans. 
The trojan virus disguises itself as legitimate software. Ransomware blocks
access to the network's key components, whereas Spyware is software that
steals all your confidential data without your knowledge. Adware is software
that displays advertising content such as banners on a user's screen. 

Malware breaches a network through a vulnerability. When the user clicks

a dangerous link, it downloads an email attachment or when an infected
pen drive is used. 

Let’s now look at how we can prevent a malware attack:

● Use antivirus software. It can protect your computer against malware.

Avast Antivirus, Norton Antivirus, and McAfee Antivirus are a few of the
popular antivirus software.

● Use firewalls. Firewalls filter the traffic that may enter your device.
Windows and Mac OS X have their default built-in firewalls, named
Windows Firewall and Mac Firewall.

● Stay alert and avoid clicking on suspicious links.

● Update your OS and browsers, regularly.

2. Phishing Attack

Phishing attacks are one of the most prominent widespread types of

cyberattacks. It is a type of social engineering attack wherein an attacker
impersonates to be a trusted contact and sends the victim fake mails. 

Unaware of this, the victim opens the mail and clicks on the malicious link
or opens the mail's attachment. By doing so, attackers gain access to
confidential information and account credentials. They can also install
malware through a phishing attack. 

Phishing attacks can be prevented by following the below-mentioned steps:

● Scrutinize the emails you receive. Most phishing emails have significant
errors like spelling mistakes and format changes from that of legitimate
sources.

● Make use of an anti-phishing toolbar.

● Update your passwords regularly.

3. Password Attack

It is a form of attack wherein a hacker cracks your password with various

programs and password cracking tools like Aircrack, Cain, Abel, John the
Ripper, Hashcat, etc. There are different types of password attacks like
brute force attacks, dictionary attacks, and keylogger attacks.

Listed below are a few ways to prevent password attacks: 

● Use strong alphanumeric passwords with special characters.

● Abstain from using the same password for multiple websites or

accounts.

● Update your passwords; this will limit your exposure to a password

attack.

● Do not have any password hints in the open.

4. Man-in-the-Middle Attack

A Man-in-the-Middle Attack (MITM) is also known as an eavesdropping

attack. In this attack, an attacker comes in between a two-party
communication, i.e., the attacker hijacks the session between a client and
host. By doing so, hackers steal and manipulate data. 

As seen below, the client-server communication has been cut off, and
instead, the communication line goes through the hacker.
MITM attacks can be prevented by following the below-mentioned steps:

● Be mindful of the security of the website you are using. Use encryption
on your devices.

● Refrain from using public Wi-Fi networks.

5. SQL Injection Attack 

A Structured Query Language (SQL) injection attack occurs on a database-

driven website when the hacker manipulates a standard SQL query. It is
carried by injecting a malicious code into a vulnerable website search box,
thereby making the server reveal crucial information.  

This results in the attacker being able to view, edit, and delete tables in the
databases. Attackers can also get administrative rights through this. 

To prevent a SQL injection attack:

● Use an Intrusion detection system, as they design it to detect

unauthorized access to a network.

● Carry out a validation of the user-supplied data. With a validation

process, it keeps the user input in check.

6. Denial-of-Service Attack

A Denial-of-Service Attack is a significant threat to companies. Here,

attackers target systems, servers, or networks and flood them with traffic to
exhaust their resources and bandwidth. 

When this happens, catering to the incoming requests becomes

overwhelming for the servers, resulting in the website it hosts either shut
down or slow down. This leaves the legitimate service requests
unattended. 
It is also known as a DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attack when
attackers use multiple compromised systems to launch this attack. 

Let’s now look at how to prevent a DDoS attack:

● Run a traffic analysis to identify malicious traffic.

● Understand the warning signs like network slowdown, intermittent

website shutdowns, etc. At such times, the organization must take the
necessary steps without delay.

● Formulate an incident response plan, have a checklist and make sure

your team and data center can handle a DDoS attack.

● Outsource DDoS prevention to cloud-based service providers.

7. Insider Threat

As the name suggests, an insider threat does not involve a third party but
an insider. In such a case; it could be an individual from within the
organization who knows everything about the organization. Insider threats
have the potential to cause tremendous damages. 

Insider threats are rampant in small businesses, as the staff there hold
access to multiple accounts with data. Reasons for this form of an attack
are many, it can be greed, malice, or even carelessness. Insider threats are
hard to predict and hence tricky.

To prevent the insider threat attack:

● Organizations should have a good culture of security awareness.

● Companies must limit the IT resources staff can have access to

depending on their job roles.

● Organizations must train employees to spot insider threats. This will help
employees understand when a hacker has manipulated or is attempting
to misuse the organization's data.
8. Cryptojacking

The term Cryptojacking is closely related to cryptocurrency. Cryptojacking

takes place when attackers access someone else’s computer for mining
cryptocurrency. 

The access is gained by infecting a website or manipulating the victim to

click on a malicious link. They also use online ads with JavaScript code for
this. Victims are unaware of this as the Crypto mining code works in the
background; a delay in the execution is the only sign they might witness. 

Cryptojacking can be prevented by following the below-mentioned steps:

● Update your software and all the security apps as cryptojacking can
infect the most unprotected systems.

● Have cryptojacking awareness training for the employees; this will help
them detect crypotjacking threats.

● Install an ad blocker as ads are a primary source of cryptojacking

scripts. Also have extensions like MinerBlock, which is used to identify
and block crypto mining scripts.

9. Zero-Day Exploit

A Zero-Day Exploit happens after the announcement of a network

vulnerability; there is no solution for the vulnerability in most cases. Hence
the vendor notifies the vulnerability so that the users are aware; however,
this news also reaches the attackers.

Depending on the vulnerability, the vendor or the developer could take any
amount of time to fix the issue. Meanwhile, the attackers target the
disclosed vulnerability. They make sure to exploit the vulnerability even
before a patch or solution is implemented for it. 

Zero-day exploits can be prevented by:

● Organizations should have well-communicated patch management
processes. Use management solutions to automate the procedures.
Thus it avoids delays in deployment.

● Have an incident response plan to help you deal with a cyberattack.

Keep a strategy focussing on zero-day attacks. By doing so, the damage
can be reduced or completely avoided.

10. Watering Hole Attack

The victim here is a particular group of an organization, region, etc. In such

an attack, the attacker targets websites which are frequently used by the
targeted group. Websites are identified either by closely monitoring the
group or by guessing.

After this, the attackers infect these websites with malware, which infects
the victims' systems. The malware in such an attack targets the user's
personal information. Here, it is also possible for the hacker to take remote
access to the infected computer.

Let's now see how we can prevent the watering hole attack:

● Update your software and reduce the risk of an attacker exploiting

vulnerabilities. Make sure to check for security patches regularly.

● Use your network security tools to spot watering hole attacks. Intrusion
prevention systems(IPS) work well when it comes to detecting such
suspicious activities.

● To prevent a watering hole attack, it is advised to conceal your online

activities. For this, use a VPN and also make use of your browser’s
private browsing feature. A VPN delivers a secure connection to another
network over the Internet. It acts as a shield for your browsing activity.
NordVPN is a good example of a VPN.

Those were the top ten types of cyberattacks. Now, let us walk you
through the next section of our article on types of cyberattacks.
How to Prevent Cyber Attacks?

Although we had a look at several ways to prevent the different types of

cyberattacks we discussed, let's summarize and look at a few personal tips
which you can adopt to avoid a cyberattack on the whole.

1. Change your passwords regularly and use strong alphanumeric

passwords which are difficult to crack. Refrain from using too
complicated passwords that you would tend to forget. Do not use the
same password twice.

2. Update both your operating system and applications regularly. This is a

primary prevention method for any cyber attack. This will remove
vulnerabilities that hackers tend to exploit. Use trusted and legitimate
Anti-virus protection software.

3. Use a firewall and other network security tools such as Intrusion

prevention systems, Access control, Application security, etc.

4. Avoid opening emails from unknown senders. Scrutinize the emails you
receive for loopholes and significant errors. 

5. Make use of a VPN. This makes sure that it encrypts the traffic between
the VPN server and your device. 

6. Regularly back up your data. According to many security professionals,

it is ideal to have three copies of your data on two different media types
and another copy in an off-site location (cloud storage). Hence, even in
the course of a cyber attack, you can erase your system’s data and
restore it with a recently performed backup.

7. Employees should be aware of cybersecurity principles. They must know

the various types of cyberattacks and ways to tackle them.

8. Use Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication. With two-factor

authentication, it requires users to provide two different authentication
factors to verify themselves. When you are asked for over two additional
authentication methods apart from your username and password, we
term it as multi-factor authentication. This proves to be a vital step to
secure your account.
9.Secure your Wi-Fi networks and avoid using public Wi-Fi without using a
VPN. 

10.Safeguard your mobile, as mobiles are also a cyberattack target. Install

apps from only legitimate and trusted sources, make sure to keep your
device updated. 

These are the tips you must implement to protect your systems and
networks from a cyber attack.

Do you have any questions for us concerning ‘Types of Cyber Attacks’?

Please mention them in the comment section of this article. Our qualified
experts will get back to you as soon as possible!

1. What is a Cyber Attack?

A cyber attack is an offensive, unauthorized system/network access by a

third party. It aims at destroying or stealing confidential information from a
computer network, information system, or personal device. The person who
carries out this cyber attack is called a hacker.

2. What are the four types of attacks?

The different types of cyber-attacks are malware attack, password attack,

phishing attack, and SQL injection attack. 

3. What are examples of a Cyber Attack?

Some cyber attack examples are - Twitter celebrity profile attacks, emails
with attachments containing malware, emails with links to malicious
websites, and legitimate communication streams with malicious packets. 

4. What happens during a Cyber Attack?

Cyber attacks disable, destroy, disrupt, or control computer systems to
alter, manipulate, block, delete, or steal the data in these systems. They
can be made by any individual or group via the internet using one or more
attack strategies. It leads to a financial loss of money or the theft of
information. 

5. What are the different ways to prevent Cyber Attacks?

Some of the best ways to prevent cyber attacks include changing

passwords regularly and using the ones that are difficult to crack, updating
operating systems and applications, using a firewall and other network
security tools, avoiding emails from unknown senders, regularly backing up
your data, and using multi-factor authentication. 

6. What are the top 5 Cyber Attacks?

Businesses' most challenging cyber attacks are phishing attacks,

ransomware, malware attacks, insider threats, and weak passwords. 

Notes on following

Web-based attacks
These are the attacks which occur on a website or web applications. Some of the
important web-based attacks are as follows-

1. Injection attacks

It is the attack in which some data will be injected into a web application to
manipulate the application and fetch the required information.

Example- SQL Injection, code Injection, log Injection, XML Injection etc.

2. DNS Spoofing

DNS Spoofing is a type of computer security hacking. Whereby a data is

introduced into a DNS resolver's cache causing the name server to return an
incorrect IP address, diverting traffic to the attacker?s computer or any other
computer. The DNS spoofing attacks can go on for a long period of time without
being detected and can cause serious security issues.

3. Session Hijacking

It is a security attack on a user session over a protected network. Web applications

create cookies to store the state and user sessions. By stealing the cookies, an
attacker can have access to all of the user data.

4. Phishing

Phishing is a type of attack which attempts to steal sensitive information like user
login credentials and credit card number. It occurs when an attacker is
masquerading as a trustworthy entity in electronic communication.

5. Brute force

It is a type of attack which uses a trial and error method. This attack generates a
large number of guesses and validates them to obtain actual data like user
password and personal identification number. This attack may be used by criminals
to crack encrypted data, or by security, analysts to test an organization's network
security.

6. Denial of Service

It is an attack which meant to make a server or network resource unavailable to the

users. It accomplishes this by flooding the target with traffic or sending it
information that triggers a crash. It uses the single system and single internet
connection to attack a server. It can be classified into the following-

Volume-based attacks- Its goal is to saturate the bandwidth of the attacked site,

and is measured in bit per second.

Protocol attacks- It consumes actual server resources, and is measured in a

packet.

Application layer attacks- Its goal is to crash the web server and is measured in
request per second.

7. Dictionary attacks
This type of attack stored the list of a commonly used password and validated them
to get original password.

8. URL Interpretation

It is a type of attack where we can change the certain parts of a URL, and one can
make a web server to deliver web pages for which he is not authorized to browse.

9. File Inclusion attacks

It is a type of attack that allows an attacker to access unauthorized or essential files

which is available on the web server or to execute malicious files on the web server
by making use of the include functionality.

10. Man in the middle attacks

It is a type of attack that allows an attacker to intercepts the connection between

client and server and acts as a bridge between them. Due to this, an attacker will be
able to read, insert and modify the data in the intercepted connection.

System-based attacks
These are the attacks which are intended to compromise a computer or a computer
network. Some of the important system-based attacks are as follows-

1. Virus

It is a type of malicious software program that spread throughout the computer

files without the knowledge of a user. It is a self-replicating malicious computer
program that replicates by inserting copies of itself into other computer programs
when executed. It can also execute instructions that cause harm to the system.

2. Worm

It is a type of malware whose primary function is to replicate itself to spread to

uninfected computers. It works same as the computer virus. Worms often originate
from email attachments that appear to be from trusted senders.

3. Trojan horse
It is a malicious program that occurs unexpected changes to computer setting and
unusual activity, even when the computer should be idle. It misleads the user of its
true intent. It appears to be a normal application but when opened/executed some
malicious code will run in the background.

4. Backdoors

It is a method that bypasses the normal authentication process. A developer may

create a backdoor so that an application or operating system can be accessed for
troubleshooting or other purposes.

5. Bots

A bot (short for "robot") is an automated process that interacts with other network
services. Some bots program run automatically, while others only execute
commands when they receive specific input. Common examples of bots program
are the crawler, chatroom bots, and malicious bots.