How do Hackers Hack Businesses?

The term “hacking” is broad and commonly used incorrectly. Modern jargon usually refers to any endeavour, frequently malevolent, to take control of your company’s systems or data. How do hackers hack? Hackers can hack your networks, devices, and accounts using various techniques, some of which do not even involve technical expertise.

A company’s network can never be totally protected from hackers, who continually produce new ways to access a company’s network. They don’t care how much money is spent on cybersecurity software.

Big companies get hacked too

Uber: September 2022

In September 2022, one of the largest tech companies in the world, Uber was reportedly hacked by an 18-year-old hacker who used social engineering techniques to compromise Uber’s network. According to Sam Curry, they realized they were hacked after the intruder compromised an employee’s Slack login and sent a message to Uber employees, “I announce I am a hacker, and Uber has suffered a data breach”.

This breach led the company to shut down its internal communications and engineering systems while investigating the cyberattack.

Crypto.com: January 2022 

Have you heard that Singapore-based crypto exchange Crypto.com, one of the best-known cryptocurrency exchanges in the world backed by superstar actor Matt Damon got hacked in January 2022? Forbes reported, “483 of its users were hit in a hack earlier this month, leading to unauthorized withdrawals of bitcoin and Ether worth $35 million.”

They had to reimburse all affected customers fully for the losses. However, the method of compromise still remains unclear.

Facebook: April 2021

Let’s not miss Facebook, one of the world’s most popular social networking sites today, which has faced numerous privacy issues over the years. In April 2021, over 530 million Facebook users’ personal data were publicly leaked in an online hacking forum which included Facebook IDs, phone numbers, full names, birthdates, bios, locations, email addresses and biographical information from 106 countries. It was reported that even Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s own private credentials were leaked in the process.

Facebook data breach was sold on multiple groups on Telegram for email fraud, scam phone calls, phishing attacks and target advertising. Worse, hackers could enact users and make money transfers without their knowledge or approval.

In the past, high-profile companies like Amazon, Twitter, Microsoft, AOL, Dropbox and more also experienced repeat data breaches. No matter small or big company, every company is at risk of cyber attacks.

Hence, your business must have effective cyber crisis management plans in place. You simply never know when or where a cyber-attack may originate. Hackers can still find a way in even if you use the best antivirus software available, give your staff the best training possible, and use strong passwords. Hackers are always digging, prying, and hunting for vulnerabilities. If they investigate a company and do not discover these flaws, they move on to the next one and then the next one until they do.

Even if you cannot defend against every attack, and even though hackers are becoming more skilled and resourceful daily, you should be aware of the most common ways businesses are compromised and put protection measures in place. Here are a few ways businesses get hacked that you should know.

Why businesses are vulnerable to cyber attacks

Using weak passwords

One of the simplest methods for hackers to gain access to your network and steal your personal information is using weak passwords. Your entire business may be at risk if one person gains access to a basic password for their computer, email, or other company software.

Hackers can discover your passwords by perusing your social media sites for details like the names of your children, which are frequently used in passwords. They can also just evaluate a list of passwords until they find the one that works.

Setting up a strong company password policy is a wise business move, but it is not always sufficient. You will be safer using a secure password manager in addition to your policy.

Phishing fraud

In addition, phishing fraud takes advantage of human error to give hackers access to your personal data. In a phishing technique, a hacker may send you an email that looks innocent and even assume the identity of a company or someone you know. For instance, you can get a message suggesting you click a link to change your password in an email from Facebook. These emails include a link or file that, when opened or downloaded, infects your machine with malware.

This software simply creates a security gap in your system that a hacker can utilize to access your network and take personal information-containing files. They typically overburden your servers with bots or other types of traffic, which prevents them from operating correctly and, in certain situations, keeps your consumers from accessing your services.

For instance, a determined hacker might launch a Distributed denial of service (DDoS) assault to block access to your website. DDoS attacks can be reduced using some different methods, such as screening DDoS traffic, depending on dynamic DNS allocation, and using load balancing techniques to spread heavy traffic.

Internal threats

Many businesses worry about internal threats from workers who abuse access to steal data or purposefully harm or infect systems, in addition to external attacks. Your staff’s actions could expose you to various dangers because they cannot frequently recognize dangers that permit hackers and malware to infiltrate software and systems.

Social engineering threats are made to deceive users who frequently open infected attachments or click on links in emails. This is made more difficult because many employees either do not realize their error or try to cover it up. Most companies keep strict tabs on their employees’ software, and they wisely forbid using unlicensed or free software or apps.

These days, a lot of businesses teach their employees to be watchful at spotting dangers and vulnerabilities.

Connected devices

Another most recent potential entry point is connected devices. Having linked objects could expose your business to attackers. The issue is that many IoT devices do not implement communication between the device and the cloud service that supports it well. Many devices may become vulnerable as a result, and in some situations, attackers may be able to commandeer your IoT devices to launch additional assaults or even spy on your company if connected cameras are used.

In addition to privacy being a major worry, someone can steal your gadgets and take over their functions.

Hacked via Network

Businesses can usually be hacked via the network. Even the tiniest weaknesses in security can be found throughout your network. A hacker can use basic network tools to find and take advantage of unpatched security issues, regardless of whether you have open ports on your copiers and printers or gaps in your security system.

Say your printer has the “print from anywhere” feature enabled. A hacker may be able to locate the open port on your printer and remotely access it. If a hacker uses these holes to enter your network, they can view all the data you have saved on your computer, and if they obtain access to a printer, they might be able to see the files that have been scanned or printed on it.

Takeaway

Overall, some hacks happen when one of your team members’ login information is stolen. This is typically done through phishing tactics, which fool your staff into entering their usernames and passwords by seeming to be a reliable, authentic source. For instance, a knowledgeable hacker could make a landing page that looks like the login page you are familiar with and records the keystrokes a worker entered. Installing better antivirus software or a more robust security system alone will not improve your company’s cybersecurity. Instead, you will need a comprehensive strategy, and the first step in implementing it is realizing the range of dangers that could imperil or disrupt your company. Inform yourself and your staff about these typical threats to stay secure.