Website security is one of the most important topics of today. With the increasing number of websites and devices connecting to the internet, we need to ask ourselves what the future brings in terms of hacker attacks. The technology is moving forward, which means that someone is creating new ways of hacking someone’s privacy and stealing sensitive data. With that in mind, today, we want to talk about some alarming cyber security facts. The first step in protecting yourself on the internet is learning about potential threats. There is no time to waste, so let’s start now!
Too many new websites fall victim to customer identity theft
One of the first things to talk about is what happens when someone who does not have experience with online technologies creates a website and starts a business. The first mistake people make is they don’t purchase a secure domain.
The reason why you want a secure domain for your website is that it encrypts data during transport. An SSL certificate is a necessity today, so don’t look at it as an additional expense.
Phishing attacks happen in more than 80% of reported incidents
Phishing is a process where a hacker sends a link to a victim. Once the victim clicks on the link, they give access to the hacker. This is one of the oldest hacker methods, and it is still very problematic today.
There are over 2 million phishing websites today. There was an increase of over 27% that happened between January 2020 and January 2021.
Phishing emails try to entice victims with false information and make them click on a link that will trigger the virus and steal their information.
Another alarming fact is that over 94% of hacker attacks happen via emails, specifically with the phishing method. Corporations are the biggest targets because emails target their employees. With that in mind, almost 70% of companies today spend their resources to increase cyber security.
Almost all malware observed today is polymorphic
Polymorphic malware is the type of malicious software that can learn how to evade detection. Antivirus software on our computers scans specific files and takes care of them. However, polymorphic software changes its code to remain hidden. This is a truly alarming fact and another reason to seriously invest in improved cyber security.
When getting a domain for your website, ask your web host all questions you can think of. It is crucial to understand how to protect your website at all costs.
Be careful when you browse the internet
Like someone can send a virus to your website, they can also create websites with malicious software. A regular person browsing the internet may accidentally visit a website designed specifically to spread malware. We all face over 100,000 of these websites every day.
You should always browse only verified websites.
One of the major threats of the future is misinformation
Even though this does not count as a virus, misinformation is spreading today like wildfire. People do not bother to check whether something is correct or not before spreading the word. There are multiple parties out there that spread misinformation intentionally for their own reasons.
If we consider that by the end of 2025 we will have more than 75 billion devices connected to the internet, we can see how misinformation spreading will increase. The increasing number of social media users does not help prevent this from happening.
People do not realize how dangerous misinformation is today.
The best way to stop spreading misinformation is:
- do not believe in everything you read online;
- do not fall victim to bias;
- do not spread potentially false news, even if you believe they are true;
- always check multiple sources before spreading any information you hear online.
Plagiarism is another form of malicious actions
Plagiarism is another way to negatively impact someone’s website. There is software out there that intentionally duplicates entire websites, only to ruin someone’s reputation or reduce their Google rating.
Use plagiarism checking tools to make sure no one duplicated your content. This is a good strategy to help find potential threats to your website’s authenticity.
You can also use software that detects complete copies of your website. This is all considered a negative SEO strategy.
More than 60% of internet breaches happen because of a patch that was not applied
Whenever a piece of software is released to the public, hackers take it apart in hopes of finding a glitch that will allow them to exploit it. Windows updates are extremely important because they fix those holes in the defense system.
However, a large number of people do not update their systems. This is how more than 60% of hacker attacks happen.
The same applies to various software or plugins you might use on your website. You should always update the software as soon as a new patch is released.
It is becoming increasingly difficult to fill cyber security job positions
The IT industry has always been one of the most lucrative ones. However, more people are turning towards programming and less towards administration and cyber security. While that is an alarming fact, there is also a silver lining we have to mention.
If you decide to pursue a career in cyber security, you can easily find a job today!
A piece of advice – do not try to save money on online security!
A substantial number of people still do not realize the importance of website security. Internet threats are not visible; we cannot see or touch them. To a layperson, they look like a story they hear, something that will never happen to them – until it happens.
Emails are the number one channel used to deliver malware or steal people’s sensitive information.
Even though it might seem like you are paying money to prevent something that will never happen, you should still invest in cyber security. And don’t look for cheaper solutions either, especially when setting up a website and hosting services. Hosting is worth paying extra for if it will keep you and your visitors safe.
Think about these alarming cyber security facts
Now that you know the most alarming cyber security facts, you should do everything in your power to keep yourself safe from online threats. Take this seriously, and understand that the danger is real. No one knows what the future brings. With that in mind, you need to continue educating yourself about potential online threats to come.
Meta description: These alarming cyber security facts should help you to understand the danger of online threats. Learn how to protect yourself today!
Photos used:
https://pixabay.com/vectors/warning-alert-detected-malware-2168379/
https://pixabay.com/vectors/phishing-credentials-data-login-6573326/
https://pixabay.com/photos/fake-news-media-disinformation-2355686/
https://pixabay.com/illustrations/scam-phishing-fraud-email-attack-3933004/