1. Code Injection
This type of attack can result in stolen passwords, lost data, or even loss of server control. They are also shockingly widespread, as code injection is ranked #1 in the OWASP (Open Web Application Security Project) Foundation's Top 10 Application Security Risks.
There are two ways to prevent code injection: avoiding vulnerable code and filtering input. Applications can protect themselves from dangerous code by separating data from commands and queries, for as by implementing a safe API with parameterized queries. Businesses should also employ input validation and the concept of least privilege, implementing restrictions such as the SQL LIMIT function to mitigate the impact of a successful attack. The only effective technique to protect against code injection is to use a Web Application Firewall (WAF) that refreshes a threat database in real time.
2. Data Breach
The cost of data breaches has been extensively documented. They are frequently caused by hacked credentials, although they can also be caused by software misconfiguration, lost hardware, or malware. According to the Breach Level Index, there were 944 known data breaches in the first half of 2018, up from over 2,000 in 2017. A variety of good practices are required for data breach prevention. SSL should be used to encrypt site traffic and transactions, permissions should be carefully defined for each category of users, and servers should be examined. Employees should be taught how to avoid phishing attacks and how to practice proper password hygiene. It's also worth considering the concept of least privilege here.
3. Malware Infection
Most businesses are aware of the security danger posed by malware on some level, but many people are unaware that email spam is still the primary channel of malware assault. Because malware can arrive from a variety of sources, multiple technologies are required to avoid infection. A strong email scanning and filtering system, as well as virus and vulnerability scans, are required. Employee education is critical to keeping businesses safe from malware, just as it is for breaches, which are frequently triggered by malware infestation.
4. Distributed Denial of Service Attack
A Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) assault often involves a hacker harnessing a group of computers to flood the target with traffic. If your company is the target of a DDoS assault, activate your disaster recovery plan and notify staff and customers about the outage. A security instrument, such as a WAF, is used to close the port or protocol that is being saturated, a process that will almost certainly have to be repeated as attackers change their techniques.
5. Malicious Insiders
This last threat is awful to consider, but it is common enough to warrant serious thought, as the 2017 U.S. State of Cybercrime Highlights report from CERT shows that one in every five attacks is carried out by insiders. Preventing damage from insider attacks is mostly about limiting a malevolent insider's access. This includes establishing logical access control policies to implement the principle of least privilege (which you should have done by now), as well as monitoring the network with audit and transaction logs. A system like Liquid Web's customized Malicious Activity Detector (MAD) will also protect against both internal and external threats.