What is a cyber attack, and how do you protect your company?

Cyberattacks – what are they, and how do you protect against them?

With increased digitalisation and significant technological advancements, more and more serious threats in the form of advanced cyberattacks also follow. To effectively prevent sabotage and fraud directed at your company, it is important to understand how the attacks work – and what protective measures can be taken.

Cyberattacks can be compared to an advanced and modern form of warfare. It is a serious threat that all companies, organisations, and states need to be aware of, as well as have strategies for how to counteract and prevent it.

What is a cyberattack?

A cyber attack is a criminal digital assault orchestrated by one or more malicious actors, aimed at a specific target with the intent to sabotage and/or commit fraud or extorsion. The target of an attack can, for example, be a network, IT system, or website.

Why are cyber and IT attacks carried out?

Cyberattacks can be carried out for various reasons, but in most cases, they are either politically or criminally motivated – or both.

Criminal cyberattacks are understood as attacks carried out with the aim of obtaining something of value, usually money or sensitive information. Attacks can also be carried out as part of a trademark infringement, either for personal gain or to sabotage. Criminally motivated IT attacks can be directed against an individual, a business, or another type of organisation.

Politically motivated attacks generally target authorities and other government organisations. The intention can, for example, be to sabotage, disclose secret information, or demonstrate security vulnerabilities.

Different types of cyberattacks

Today, there are many different ways to carry out cyberattacks. The advance of digitalisation means, on the one hand, that better and more effective protective measures become possible, but on the other hand, that fraudsters are constantly developing new methods. In light of this, it is important to constantly stay updated on what is happening in the digital world, as well as to have a security system that is always updated in line with the evolving nature of threats.

Among the methods available for cyberattacks, the following are some of the most commonly encountered:

• Phishing – Scammers attempt to gain access to sensitive information by getting you to open emails or click on links that appear to come from trusted sources.
• DDoS-angreb – Targeted overload attacks aimed at shutting down networks, servers, websites, or services and making them unavailable to customers.
• Ransomware – Malicious code that encrypts and locks your files for the purpose of extortion.
• Domæne hijacking – Scammers who take over your domain and mislead your customers with the aim of extorting and/or sabotaging

Active and passive cyberattacks

Alongside many different approaches and methods, all types of cyberattacks can also be divided into one of two overarching categories – active or passive.

Active IT attacks are those that directly cause significant and noticeable damage, for example by crashing systems and revealing confidential information.

Passive attacks, on the other hand, take place more covertly and primarily aim to obtain sensitive information or other assets. System resources are often not significantly affected, which is why passive attacks can remain undetected for a long time.

What are the consequences of cyberattacks?

A cyber attack can lead to serious, acute, and long-term consequences for your company. Both economically, in terms of damaged reputation, prestige, and trust.

By hijacking your domain, misleading visitors to pages with harmful content, or via phishing, tricking employees into opening emails or clicking on virus-laden links, scammers can obtain sensitive and confidential information. For example, usernames, passwords, or bank details. They can also exploit your trademark, which can have a severely negative impact on the company's reputation. An effect that, in the worst case, can impact your growth for a long period.

How to protect your business and brand

Cyberattacks pose a serious threat to all businesses—both small and large, across various types of industries. Fortunately, there are effective measures you can take to protect both your business and assets.

• Invest in high-quality firewalls and antivirus programs.
• Make sure the software is always up to date.
• Educate your employees on what cyberattacks are, how they can occur, and what warning signs they should be aware of.
• Be restrictive with rights
• Work proactively by regularly backing up important information.
• Use two-factor authentication whenever possible.
• Seek help from an external IT partner with expertise in cybersecurity if the right competence is not present internally.

Achieve robust protection against IT attacks with Abion

To be able to avert potential cyberattacks and prevent a company from being subjected to sabotage, theft, and/or sensitive information, one must work proactively, consciously, and vigorously. To achieve success, however, resources, expertise, and tools are required to counter advanced threats with even more advanced means. At Abion, we have the muscle to protect your company against the most common types of cyberattacks.

As experts in web security, we can assist with a complete range of qualified services designed to protect your business against both cyberattacks and other forms of threats—whether it concerns your trademarks, domains, or other types of cybersecurity. We can assist with everything from trademark protection to legal advice and technical solutions - always tailored to your company's unique needs.