Our systems and information, can be really valuable for our day to day, so protect them it is an act of responsibility and self-respect. Otherwise, everything we have can be seriously compromised.
One of the most effective attacks in infecting computers, and stealing information, are the major attack vectorsThese are responsible for executing a series of activities, even leaving our team in a vulnerable state.
The power is in knowing, and that is why today, we will teach you everything you need to know, attack vectors, and finally we will show you some tips that you should apply to avoid them.
What is an attack vector and what is it for in computing?
Attack vectors they are simply those infections that our systems receive, in order to take advantage of all the vulnerabilities found and make way for hackers. Most attack vectors infiltrate computers whose security system is outdated. These are not always perceived by antimalware in its entries, but it is detected by the changes you can make.
Its main function is to make way for stronger infections, and give full system access to hackers, taking advantage of vulnerabilities, since they belong to the critical points of the system. These can be controlled, and avoided with simple upgrade of all systems, because the errors and vulnerabilities, are solved, or dissipated, with a simple change of software, or strengthening with the help of an update.
The attack vectors are specialized, in infiltrating computers like common software, by means of a file download. From the moment that it has free access to the system, it quickly looks for all the faults and places itself on the most critical. When it is implanted, it opens access through holes to malicious code, worms and more … It also uses as a method, the insertion of advertising, and the use of social engineering, for better information theft.
Types of attack vectors What are they and how are they classified?
Attack vectors could be viruses, or any other infection, but its goal is seize information assets, and make way for more infections.
There are many types of vectors and they are classified according to the type of equipment they infect, as shown below:
Attacks on Hosts
Are all those attacks who are dedicated to infect computers or hosts in general, your list is long.
Next, we will only show the most common and important ones:
- Malware: They are all those attacks of viruses, worms or Trojans that enter computers, resulting in damage, failures and information theft.
- Keyloggers: It is that infectious software destined to the theft of information pressed. In other words, it records all of the user’s typing through keystrokes.
- Social engineering: Name given to the ability to steal information, taking advantage of the user’s weaknesses, persuading him through direct messages, and are classified as follows:
- Phishing: the attacker obtains confidential information, by means of the identity theft, or supposed representations, of organisms or pages in Internet.
- Spam: name given to all messages of the advertising type, unwanted, that are received constantly and repeatedly.
Attack by Networks
Because more information constantly travels through the networks, this is the main point of attack, for all hackers. After the attack was effective, all of our information is subject to cloning and high risks.
This type of attack vector is classified into two, active and passive:
- The active attack: it is the infection by malicious code, sabotaging the proper functioning of the networks and connected devices.
- Passive attack: Thus recognized, any interception of data or cloning, during the exchange of information, this is possible through the implantation of a virus in the network.
Active attacks
In these attacks, which we have already mentioned, their intention and way of working, the following forms of infection.
They are grouped in this classification:
- Spoofing: refers to techniques used with the intention of impersonating identities.
- Modification: it is the routing change of the central device, scheduling it for an information diversion.
- DDoS: The denial of services attack aims to collapse a network, resulting in high bandwidth consumption, causing a delay in the feedback of the information.
- Manufacturing: It is the false routing message, diverting the information, to delay its arrival, or simply extract it without reaching its destination.
Passive Attacks
The attacks liabilities, are not detected in most cases, because the infection works in a meticulous way at one point on the network
Its main attacks are the following:
- Sniffing: In this way, the technique used is known by the attacker to identify the communication route used for the exchange of information. The goal is to move the data or clone it for extraction, without modifying it.
- Eavesdropping: are the attacks received by mobile networks, with the mission of obtaining all the information transmitted through the equipment.
- Supervision: It is the direct attack on sensitive data, with the intention of cloning, without altering the content.
Phases of a cyber attack How do hackers attack system vulnerabilities?
A cyber attack, is composed of a series of phases, that allows you to gradually take over the system and the stored information assets.
Although the process can be somewhat extensive, it consists of the following stages:
Exploration
Information vectors make use of programmed algorithmic intelligence to explore the system to attack. The objective of this first phase is to carry out a recognition of all the failures and vulnerabilities found.
Installation
Followed by inspection, proceed to the installation of the infection, contaminating all files and sensitive data, primarily, as well as opening access to the entry of other attacks, or attackers.
Threat activation
By last, the threat is activated, along with other attacks, executing all activities, as quickly as possible, including avoiding being controlled by cybersecurity that have our equipment installed.
Tips to defend your devices from cyber attacks with vectors
Now that you know the dangers we face after being infected by an attack vector, we must apply some security strategies, and thus avoid being victims of hackers:
Use of antivirus
A good antivirus is always the best option, against computer attacks. In the case of Windows 10, It provides us by default to the Windows Defender antivirus, a powerful protector against all threats that want to run on our computer.
Scan files before opening
Many times antivirus leave overlook some analysis, or they are not programmed for an automatic analysis of new files, for this reason, every time we download or copy a new file to our computer, must be analyzed.
Updated driver and OS
Vulnerabilities appear, when a system is outdated, and the only way to avoid them is keeping a team completely up to date, with its latest versions. We must remember that the attack vectors, is implemented in the bugs found.
Do not provide confidential information
To avoid being a victim of social engineering, we should never provide confidential information people we do not know, even if we think we know them, we must verify that it is not an identity theft
Avoid sharing network access
Our wireless connection always is the most vulnerableTherefore, promoting a secure password guarantees greater protection, but if we share access to many people, we could face it, as we mentioned above.