Online safety is a huge issue today and while our privacy, data and security currently rests as one of the highest priorities on the World Wide Web. Cyber attacks can be devastating, leading to loss of money, data and trust from your customers. We’re taking a look at some of the worst cyber attacks to have broken businesses, and how you can take steps to protecting yours.
The Worst Cyber Attacks
It’s predicted that one cyber attack takes place every 40 seconds, if not more frequently, and this is only set to increase by the end of 2019. In the past, there have been a number of huge attacks that have left consumers and businesses out of pocket or at risk.
In 1999, a 15 year old by the name of Jonathan James did something no one thought was possible – he hacked into not just the US Department of Defense (USDOD), but NASA too. After managing to work his way into the computers of the USDOD, he installed what was essentially a back door, which allowed him access to millions and millions of emails, data and other communications. Using this data, he went on to steal from NASA, a move which cost the agency $41,000 due to the shutdown of their systems.
Mt Gox was another case of hacking – Mt. Gox was one of the largest Bitcoin exchanges on the web but on the 7th February, the company appeared to stop all withdrawals and later on the 24th February, stopped all trading completely. The website went offline that very same day, and in that same week, it was revealed that the company has been raided by hackers, and over 844,000 Bitcoins were stolen. They belonged to both the company and to the customers, leaving thousands of users out of pocket by a considerable amount.
The biggest issue with this case was that Mt Gox was found to have been trading while insolvent for up to two years, as the hacking process began in 2011. All of this only came to highlight the importance of utilising trusted brokers when trading anything online, though it was certainly too late for those that had lost out in 2014.
Protecting Your Business
With the above in mind, protecting your customers and your business from hackers is a must and thankfully, there are a number of technologies available to do so.
- Firewall – While simple in nature, a firewall acts as your first defence against unauthorised access to your systems. A good firewall should be a staple for your business.
- Antivirus Software – If a firewall is your first defence, antivirus software is the backup. This kind of software will alert you of any potentially malicious parties, ensuring that you can take action before it becomes a problem.
- Penetration Testing – Once your security systems are in place, you can run a penetration test to check whether they are working, and enable you to improve any potential weaknesses.
While this is by no means the only technology available, it’s a starting point that every business should follow. The software or hardware that works best for your business will depend on your sector, how big your business is, the technology you have at hand and more but regardless, protecting your business is a must.