10 Warning Signs Your Business is Vulnerable to a Cyber Attack

Since 2015, cyber-attacks and data breaches have increased by as much as 60%. A survey found that 63% of consumers from countries including UK, France, Australia, Japan, and the US have security concerns regarding their interconnected devices.

Recognising an organisation’s vulnerabilities is the first step towards securing your systems, data, and reputation. Cyber threats are becoming more sophisticated, evolving with technology, and discovering ways to protect businesses against attacks is a priority to prevent cyber criminals from exploiting known vulnerabilities.

You may not realise that your current cyber defence set up is inadequate, and businesses face ever-evolving threats as technology evolves. This article details 10 common signs which can signal whether your organisation is vulnerable to a cyber-attack. You can prevent severe financial, reputational, and operational damage by identifying vulnerabilities, often through Vulnerability scanning.

Outdated Software

Outdated software is a common entry point for attackers, as it more often than not contains unpatched vulnerabilities. Cyber criminals will exploit known vulnerabilities and weaknesses in order to breach systems’ security. They’ll then often deploy malware which can take advantage of individual devices or an entire organisation’s worth of systems.

The largest example of a vulnerability exploited in this way is WannaCry. This worldwide cyberattack, which occurred in May 2017, targeted computers using the Microsoft Windows operating system. Despite Microsoft releasing patches, many organisations did not apply them, or were still using older versions of Windows OS which were past end-of-life. This allowed WannaCry to spread to more than 300,000 computers across 150 countries.

Applying patches when released by system operators is imperative to cyber security, and best practice is to ensure that all software including operating systems, applications, and security tools are regularly updated. By implementing Vulnerability scanning across your organisation, and by applying patches and updates as soon as they become available, will help close security gaps and defend against potential threats, helping prevent cyber attacks at any scale.

Unsecured Networks

With increasing numbers of employees working remotely (either, at home or in public spaces), unsecured networks represent a growing security risk to businesses. Networks with poor security or no protection at all, are an open invitation for attackers to infiltrate your organisation’s systems. Public Wi-Fi and personal home networks are an easy access point for hackers to gain access to systems thanks to unexpectant employees.
Firewalls, strong passwords, and updated Wi-Fi protocols such as WPA3 all offer lines of defence. Encouraging employees to use a VPN when accessing business systems remotely can also protect your business and help you remain secure.

Weak Passwords

Passwords are commonly the first line of defence when protecting accounts. However, when they’re weak (or the use of a single password is repeated), security becomes a major target. Simple or reused passwords make it increasingly easier for cyber attackers to gain unauthorised access to organisation’s systems.

Enforcing correct password management is fundamental for businesses. Employees should follow a strong password policy that requires unique passwords for all accounts. Organisations can also implement Multi-Factor Authentication to add an additional layer of security (more on this below).

No Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Relying on a single authentication method, such as a password, cannot be relied upon for robust security. MFA is now a highly-recommended security measure to prevent attackers stealing or guessing passwords.

MFA requires a second form of verification: a combination of passwords, one-time passcodes, or biometric authentication. Adding this secondary method can significantly reduce the chances of unauthorised account or system access.

Implementing MFA across all systems may initially face resistance from employees (based on perceived hassle for implementation and daily use). However, it is an integral step to improving password security, especially for accounts with administrative privileges. Encouraging employees to implement MFA across accounts can significantly strengthen the account.

Lack of Encryption

Data without encryption is highly susceptible to interception. Whether in transit or at rest, unencrypted information can be easily accessed and misused by attackers.

A notable example of this was when Yahoo found that all three billion registered user accounts were affected by a hacking attack dating back to 2013 [3]. In 2014, a hacker had stolen a backup of Yahoo’s User Account Database which contained account names, email addresses, phone numbers, dates of birth, hashed passwords, and in some cases, unencrypted security questions and answers, by manipulating web cookies.

End-to-end encryption should be implemented for any data in transit, and measures implemented to ensure data at rest is encrypted with robust protocols. By ensuring these steps are followed, even if a data breach does occur then sensitive data will be unreadable to attackers.

Outdated Antivirus and Anti-Malware

Antivirus and anti-malware tools cannot protect against the latest threats if they’re not up to date. Malware and viruses evolve as technology evolves, and older security tools can fail to detect or block advanced cyber attacks.

To prevent vulnerabilities, regularly review software across devices to ensure the latest virus definitions and patches are up-to-date. Consider using next-generation endpoint protection to detect sophisticated threats.

Poorly-Managed User Permissions

Incorrectly and improperly managed user permissions can provide unnecessary access to sensitive data and critical systems. Employees and attackers with excessive permissions have the ability to steal or modify sensitive data, becoming insider and outsider threats in the process.

The recommended data security practice is the Principle of Least Privilege (PoLP). This is the process of limiting user access to only the resources and permissions required to complete their tasks. To eliminate unnecessary access and reduce the risk of a data breach, it is recommended to regularly audit and update user permissions and ensure processes are in place to roll this administration out across organisations at scale.

Ignoring Vulnerability Assessments

Organisations should regularly monitor and scan for vulnerabilities. In the case where organisations aren’t scanning regularly – or aren’t paying attention to the results – they may be unaware of critical gaps which can and will be easily exploited.

Vulnerability scanning and testing can also be paired with penetration testing to identify and patch the widest variety of weaknesses, uncovering any less obvious risks that may still be exploited.

Lack of Regular Backups

Data loss can be critical for business continuity and reputation. Without regular and recent data backups your business will be unable to recover critical data if you were to become the victim of a cyber attack (such as ransomware).

As an example, the CryptoLocker cyberattack infected around 500,000 computers and locked files on infected devices. CryptoLocker initially spread through infected email attachments, gaining notoriety for launching rapid attacks. A ransom payment was demanded for the decryption key.

Businesses should follow a secure data backup strategy in order to prevent a similar attack occurring. A data security rule, ‘3-2-1’, is defined to keep a small, but secure number of backups available in the event of a disaster. This consists of keeping three copies of your data: two copies of your data kept locally (on separate devices), and one stored offsite or within the cloud. These backups should then be encrypted, and regularly tested.

Lack of Employee Testing

A businesses’ biggest weakness is typically its employees. Without up-to-date and adequate training, employees can often fall for phishing attacks and scams, make easy security mistakes, and expose themselves and businesses to unnecessary risks.

Cyber security training should be regularly delivered, emphasising the importance of identifying phishing emails, using secure passwords, updating these passwords regularly, updating software, and following best practices for secure data protection.

Prioritising Security Within Your Business

Security measures should be regularly reviewed, assessed, and updated, alongside training employees and implementing data security best practices to protect businesses from evolving cyber threats.

Cyber security is a shared responsibility across your organisation, as any vulnerability in your security defences can leave your business weak. Learn more about our Vulnerability Scanning Services to begin addressing the vulnerabilities identified, so businesses can significantly reduce any risk and strengthen overall cyber security.