Where Do Cyberattacks Come From?

In the past few years, cyberattacks have only gotten more frequent and more severe. Whether someone is tech-savvy or not, they’re likely aware of what a cyberattack is, at least in a general sense. For businesses both big and small, these sorts of attacks pose a serious threat. It’s why so many people outsource managed IT services New Jersey.

Despite how prominent these attacks have become, where they come from is still a mystery to a lot of people. The truth is these sorts of attacks can come from a variety of sources, with attackers having different goals. Let’s look at some of the most common sources.

World Governments

Television and movies would have you believe that hackers are rebellious teenagers that operate out of dark basements. In reality, several cyberattacks are sanctioned by world governments. These attacks can target other governments but frequently attack businesses in an attempt to destabilize the region, interrupt communication abilities, or just cause large amounts of chaos. What’s worse is that, because of the power behind these attacks, they’re usually well-funded, incredibly serious threats. The Internet has become the battlefield of the 21st century and cyber warfare is indeed very real. (NEIT)

Rival Corporations

Corporate espionage has been around as long as corporations have. As soon as there were rival companies, those companies went about trying to steal closely-guarded secrets. In modern times, these shady acts are done online, with companies attempting to infiltrate rival networks and steal valuable data. This data can include research and development, client lists, financial information, corporate strategies, or anything that could give the competition an edge. It’s a cutthroat world out there. The unfortunate truth is that many companies pushing for stricter cyber security are also the ones looking for ways to exploit it.

Cyber Espionage

The attacks described in the last paragraph are one form of cyber espionage. It’s a wide net and it includes attacks against companies, government organizations, and other large networks. This time, however, we’re not talking about hackers from rival companies. Some hackers break into corporate networks and steal secret information – again, it can be research, financials, clients, etc. – with the intention of selling that information to competing companies. What’s truly scary about these attacks is that they tend to be so well-executed that they often go unnoticed completely. The hackers break into the network, steal the information, and slip back out without ever being discovered. Without something like managed IT services New Jersey, companies don’t stand a chance. (Dataconomy)

Disgruntled Employees

Companies spend untold amounts of money on keeping would-be attackers out of their network, but what about those already inside the network? One of the biggest potential threats to any company network is an employee who already has access to everything. This is why vetting any potential hires is more important than ever.

That being said, even the best business relationship can go south, and disgruntled ex-employees are a serious cause for concern. Even with their credentials revoked, they have extensive knowledge of your security framework and how your company operates. They’d have to hack into your system, but they have a huge advantage over complete outsiders. (Tech42)

Terrorists

The threat of cyberterrorism is widely debated. It’s known that terrorists have used cyberattacks to gather information, usually in conjunction with a physical attack, but not a single instance of real cyberterrorism has been recorded. While it’s possible that these attacks have simply gone unreported, especially if a ransom demand was met, the lack of recorded attacks suggest that cyberterrorism isn’t the threat that some people suspect. What we do know is that terrorists are certainly capable of these attacks and, if they aren’t already engaging in them, they represent an opportunity to do some serious damage. (USIP)

So Where Do Cyberattacks Come From?

Cyberattacks can and do come from all over the place, from lone hackers to terrorist groups to world leaders. Chances are, if you run a small company, you’re not going to be targeted by a foreign government, but maybe look into managed IT services New Jersey all the same.