If you were hit with a data breach, would you know?

It seems like a silly question, but companies take an average of more than 190 days to identify a data breach. Imagine the damage a hacker could inflict on your business in that time! Considering that the average data breach in the U.S. costs over $6 million, it’s best to implement a disaster recovery plan to mitigate any potential damages.

In this brief article, we will discuss four major types of cyberattacks that can result in a data breach. We will also provide you with a few benefits of investing in disaster recovery as a service. Every business needs protection — which is why we offer robust cybersecurity solutions, and a reliable disaster recovery plan. If you are interested in learning more about our security services, contact Secure Network Services today.

Let’s cover four of the most common types of cyberattacks that can result in a data breach.

1) Ransomware

Ransomware attacks occur when a hacker takes your data hostage in exchange for a payment. This often means encrypting your data, so you can’t access or read it. For most businesses, this brings production to a standstill. Unfortunately, even paying the ransom may not resolve the situation. Of those who paid the ransom, 92 percent don’t even get their data back, according to Forbes.

The bad news is that ransomware attacks are only becoming even more common. Since remote became more popular, attacks have increased by 148 percent. Ransomware can be delivered through email, malicious websites or social media messages, among other avenues. Even if your data is restored, assume that any sensitive data on the affected machines has been compromised.

2) Malware

Malware is a more general term that includes attacks like spyware and viruses. Malware is generally designed with the goal of stealing information from your systems in one way or another. Viruses can even spread between the computers on your network.

Unlike ransomware, which is usually detected right away, other forms of malware can cause months or years of damage before they’re detected. The vast majority of malware is delivered by email. With malware attacks constantly evolving, every business needs proactive cybersecurity training, advanced security tools and a disaster and recovery plan.

3) Phishing

In 2020, the FBI reported the phishing attacks were the number one type of cyberattack. In a phishing attack, a victim receives an email that seems to come from a trusted sender. In generic attacks, this might be someone like UPS or Apple. The recipient clicks a link or downloads an attachment, unintentionally downloading a virus onto their system.

Some phishing attacks are even more targeted. They may appear to come from a source close to you, like your company’s leadership. This can be extremely difficult for your employees to recognize without proper security training.

4) Denial of Service (DoS)

A Denial of Service (DoS) attack is designed to shut down a machine or network, making it basically inaccessible. Attackers accomplish this in two ways. One is a flood attack, where attackers flood the target with more traffic than the server can handle, causing it to slow down and eventually stop. Hackers can also exploit vulnerabilities that cause a system to crash.

The goal is typically not to steal information, but to lock legitimate users, such as employees or customers, out of a system. You may have also heard news stories involving Distributed Denial of Service, or DDoS, attacks. DDoS attacks can cause more intensive damage, since the target is being attacked by multiple systems at multiple locations.

Other Types of Data Breaches

Not every breach comes from a hacker — there are other types of data breaches to be on the lookout for. Employees may accidentally cause a breach by viewing data they’re not authorized to handle, or by leaving a laptop or other device where it can be lost or stolen. Employees or other internal personnel may also act maliciously by downloading, sharing or erasing data with the intention of causing harm to a company.

How We Can Help

Data breaches are constantly evolving and becoming more dangerous, but you can tackle them with help from a trusted security partner. Our security solutions shield your business from a broad spectrum of cyberthreats while we educate your team on best practices to avoid data breaches.

If a data breach does occur, Secure Network Services can address the issue for you and resolve it quickly. As a trusted managed services provider in Orlando, we offer small and medium-sized businesses data backup services. We also offer a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. With the right tools and strategy in place, you can minimize the costs of lost data, lost productivity and noncompliance. For stronger security and peace of mind, contact Secure Network Services.

Editor’s Note: This article was originally published in 2021. We recently updated the content to reflect new statistics and insights related to disaster recovery.