What Is A Cyber Attack?

In recent years, the world has seen a surge in cyber attacks. These events are so prevalent that they warrant their own place on the news and social media sites. But what is a cyber attack? And how can you protect your company from one? Read this blog post to learn more about what a cyber attack is and how you can help protect yourself from them! Contact Sierra IT Consulting in Northern California and Nevada today to learn more about cybersecurity and IT support.

What Is a Cyber Attack?

Cyber attacks can take many different forms, but they are generally defined as any action taken to compromise the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of data, computers, and networks. This includes gaining unauthorized access (i.e., hacking) into a system, modifying data without proper authorization, denying users' legitimate requests for services via applications or network devices, stealing confidential information, and sabotaging systems.

What Is At Risk of Being Stolen In a Cyber Attack?

In a cyber attack, anything of value is at risk of being compromised. This includes things like credit card numbers, financial information, personally identifiable information (PII), such as names and addresses, intellectual property, trade secrets (such as processes or product formulations), and even medical data like patient records.

How Likely Am I To Be The Victim of a Cyber Attack?

Because of the number of devices that are currently vulnerable, and because people’s (and company’s) security measures vary so greatly, it is difficult to say exactly how likely anyone is to be the victim of a cyber attack. However, that doesn’t mean that you are safe. If you have anything of value, you should assume that someone wants it. Whether they mean to sell that information to another group or sell it back to you as a part of a ransomware attack, it is important that you protect yourself.

How Can You Protect Your Company From a Cyber Attack?

There are many different ways to protect your company from a cyber attack. First, you should ensure that all software is kept up-to-date and patched with the latest security updates. You should also add inbound filtering whenever possible to prevent unauthorized access into systems, implement strong authentication practices such as two-factor logins when it's available, and restrict physical access to your most sensitive systems. And finally, you should consider investing in a managed security services provider (MSSP) that can monitor and protect your network around the clock.

If you are interested in learning more about cyber attacks or protecting your company from one, contact us at Sierra IT Consulting today. We would be happy to answer any questions you have or set up a consultation to help your business stay secure. Allow the IT experts to help!