The Importance of Cyber Security

A ransomware attack is executed using malicious software to encrypt and lock a user’s device, whether it be one computer or a whole server which controls an organisations IT system, and demand a form of ransom in order to restore access to the device or server. Ransomware can commonly infect computers through phishing emails, which mislead users into thinking the email is from a trusted source and to open some sort of file or attachment. In doing so, the attacker can then gain access and take control of the users device and proceed to demand payment.

Phishing is a cyber attack which uses emails to gain access to a user’s device or system with malicious intent. This is usually done by getting the user to either click a link or download an attachment, which then provides the attackers with access. You have probably seen many of these spam emails yourself and tend to stay well away from them, although there are many businesses who fall victim to these types of attack every day. You may be thinking who could possibly fall for that? Attackers can disguise the email as being from a credible source, a popular business or a person your company does business with.

Malware is a term used for intrusive software, including viruses, trojans, worms and others. A virus embeds itself into the coding of another program which then forces that program to take ‘malicious’ action and continue to spread to other programs throughout a device or network etc. A worm is a piece of malicious software that makes copies of itself and can spread from computer to computer throughout a network. A trojan is a computer program that disguises itself as another program. In doing this, the program is then activated by the user, allowing the Trojan to cause damage and spread.