The modern world is increasingly online and this is especially true in business. Cybersecurity is an area that has seen rapid growth in recent years and every business no matter how large or small is looking for trained professionals. Earning a masters in cyber security online can set you apart from the competition and prepare you for a challenging and ever-changing profession. Cybersecurity is critical due to the assortment of cybercrime businesses encounter. Here are a few of the most common crimes in the digital world.
The Most Common Cybercrimes
There are many different types of cybercrime. If you’ve ever gotten an email asking you to send money to help move millions of dollars out of a foreign country in exchange for a large payout you’ve seen an example of the oldest and most common types of cybercrime. However, the types of cybercrime that target large companies are often far more advanced.
Phishing
Phishing is one of the most common forms of cybercrime and typically takes the form of spam emails. These emails are designed to mimic the communication and logos of professional companies such as banks or airlines and entice you to click on a phishing link and share personal information. For example, a phishing email may claim your company ATM card has been locked and you need to click a link to unlock it. Another common type of email opens with offering a prize or sweepstakes asking you to click the link to claim your prize. The identifying information collected from these scams is typically used in identity theft. Spear-phishing is a type of phishing that is highly focused often taking the form of a professional contact or company you work within your business life.
Ransomware
Ransomeware attacks are a type of malware that holds critical company information, devices, or systems hostage until a ransom is paid to the cybercriminals who infected the system. Unlike older computer viruses that are simply designed to destroy data ransomware is far more advanced with a specific criminal goal. One of the most famous examples of ransomware is the WannaCry attack that took place in May of 2017. The financial losses in this attack were calculated at several billion dollars combined across the world.
Distributed DoS Attack
A distributed DoS attack is another type of attack of a company’s website or systems often to exploit money. Cybercriminals perform a distributed DoS attack by requesting numerous connections to a company’s website or service preventing normal customers from accessing these platforms and rendering them inaccessible. A common example of this type of attack is attacking a company’s digital storefront costing them business and only agreeing to stop when a payment is received. Such attacks use automated systems and take advantage of any security flaws a website or service may have.
Final Thoughts
The world of cybersecurity is always growing and changing in response to the different methods of attack cybercriminals make use of. As soon as one ransomware is cracked a new one takes its place. A master’s in cybersecurity gives you the education and training to respond to the many threats modern businesses face.
