Common types of cyberattacks. Part I.
In this article, we are going to talk about the most common types of cyberattacks.
We call cyberattack any offensive maneuver employed by individuals or whole organizations that targets computer information systems, infrastructures, computer networks, and/or personal computer devices. These attacks try by means of one or several digital acts, usually originating from an anonymous source, to hack into a system in order to steal, alter, or destroy a specified target.
The most common types of Cyberattacks
Malware
Is any kind of software that intentionally performs malicious actions in a system, without the user being aware of these actions. Virus, worms or trojan horses are different kinds of malware.
Virus
A computer virus is a small script of code that, when executed, replicates itself by modifying other computer programs, that are called hosts, and inserting its own code, in order to alter the way a computer operates. Of course, since this is a type of malware, it is all done without the permission or knowledge of the user.
Worm
A computer worm is a standalone malware computer program that replicates itself in order to spread to other computers. This is different from a virus, cause the virus needs a host program, but the worm does not. A worm often uses a computer network to spread itself, relying on security failures on the target computer to access it. Once there, it will try to scan and infect other computers.
Trojan Horse
A Trojan Horse Virus is a type of malware that downloads onto a computer disguised as a legitimate program. It typically gets hidden as an attachment in an email or a free-to-download file, then transfers onto the user’s device. Once downloaded, the malicious code will execute the task the attacker designed it for, such as spy on users’ online activity or steal sensitive data.