No matter the size of your business, there’s a very good chance that you use web-based tools and store data online. Your email, CRM, payroll files, and more are all vulnerable to cyber attacks. This will not change. Criminals will always try to get an advantage, and it doesn’t matter if you are part of a large multinational corporation or a small local business. In fact, small businesses might be more at risk since they do not necessarily have the resources to protect themselves. However, the truth is that any business or organization can block cyber attacks. The first step is understanding what to expect. Here are the top 6 cyber attacks you should be aware of in 2021. 

SaaS Credential Phishing

The vast majority of cyber attacks start when an employee or someone else opens an email. Phishing emails are those that try to get the recipient to give away their credentials for secure applications. With so many people working from home, software as a service (SaaS) has become more popular than ever. Since these applications are all cloud-based, as long as a crook has the credentials, they can log on and get whatever data they want. It’s important that you and your staff be careful not just about what emails you open, but also what links you click on from emails and what questions you answer. 

Triple-Extortion Ransomware

Another common cyber attack that can originate from an email is a ransomware attack. This is when a user downloads a file from an unsafe email that contains malware or a virus. This insidious download can work to capture someone’s passwords. In many cases it’s by mirroring keystrokes. The crooks can then freeze everyone else’s access to the data and hold it for ransom. The organization can pay up, or the extorters will destroy the data and possibly leak it to the public. A new working on this scheme is that the attackers will go after the individuals, such as clients or employees, and hold them for ransom as well. Again, it’s crucial that everyone understands what might constitute a dangerous attachment and have anti-virus software installed on their devices. 

Supply Chain Attacks

Supply chain attacks are similar to triple-extortion attacks. They are threats that hit not just the original organization, but then everyone else along their supply chain, including customers, but also vendors, service providers, and any other partners connected to the organization. It’s expected that these large-scale attacks will rise over the coming year with hackers wanting to go big with their attacks. Make sure that your staff practice good password habits, including using a web password manager to keep them safe and accessible for when they are needed. 

Threats When Returning to Work

Many workers across the United States went to work from home while Covid-19 was working its way across the country. Recently, a lot of them have been moving back to the office. This represents a unique risk. Many malware programs are designed to affect an entire network. With people working from home, there were less opportunities to do this. As people head back, it’s expected that there will be more malware attacks to try to take advantage. The reason for this is that in most cases home networks are not as secure as commercial networks. If the hackers can gain access while the employee is working from home, they can then take it with them to the office to infect the entire network. 

Crypto-Mining

Cryptocurrencies have become more popular in recent years, and much more valuable than they were even 3-4 years ago. There’s nothing wrong with this, but they have become targets of cyber criminals looking to take advantage of the boon. Instead of phishing for email addresses and passwords, hijackers will install what’s known as crypto-mining software on workers’ devices and computers. It then turns the infected device into a cryptocurrency generator. This will use up a lot of extra electricity and also greatly slow down the device as it goes through the generating process. 

Deepfake Attacks

It’s becoming easier all the time for people to create convincing videos and audio of other people. Using these techniques they may be able to convince users in your organization to transfer funds or give away login credentials to a secure database. They can also produce fake information for social media and affect the public’s opinion on your organization. Make sure that your business or organization has a set process for who approves transfers, including requiring two approvals. 

As you can see, there is a lot to be concerned with when it comes to cyber attacks. If one is successful, it could devastate your business. Make sure that you are not a victim. Understand what’s coming and take steps to protect your business and everyone involved with it.