New Cybersecurity Terms That Every Business Should Become Familiar With

Cybersecurity is the new hot button issue in modern business. However, you can only protect your information fully by knowing as much as you can about the subject. This is extremely difficult, especially since cybersecurity is a concept that keeps evolving and changing as time goes on. Therefore, there are always new terms that you must familiarize yourself with.

We can’t predict the future, but this article can bring you p to speed on everything you need to know right now. Here are all the new cybersecurity terms that you should become familiar with as a business leader in 2022.

Virtual Private Network

A virtual private network is often referred to as a VPN for short. These networks place you on an encrypted network, which in turn allows you to remain anonymous when you are online. This is possible because the network hides your IP address, which is the unique code used to identify certain web users. 

If a hacker cannot see you surfing the web, then they cannot target you with malicious software. A VPN is important in modern business as it hides your company from potential attacks, allowing you to use the internet safely for work-related tasks without worrying about cybercrime. You can even use this technology to securely access public wi-fi if you are working on the move.

Malware

Malware is a harmful piece of software that cybercriminals can upload to your computer network for various reasons. The main use of this type of software is to hold your data hostage. With the malware uploaded, the hacker can delete, alter, or release private details if you do not adhere to their wishes. Their main goal is to blackmail you into paying to get your data back, and there is no guarantee that they will release the information back to you once you have paid them a substantial sum of money. That is why it is incredibly important to invest in computer protection software that can prevent malware attacks. 

Phishing

Phishing is not a new technique; it has just become more prevalent in the world of emails and social media. A phishing scam usually targets a person’s email account. The hacker sends a message pretending to be someone of importance so that you provide them with confidential information, such as your computer passwords or bank details.

As mentioned above, phishing scams have always been prevalent scams only now they are becoming more sophisticated. You can protect yourself against phishing scams by learning what this type of message looks like. Also, ensure that you update your staff on any new scams you receive so they too know what type of emails to be wary of. 

Bots

A bot is a software application that can act autonomously once it has made its way into your systems. They are usually uploaded to the internet by hackers with a specific set of instructions. They can take control of your computer network, sending vital information across the web for cybercriminals to use in any way they see fit. As you can imagine, this is quite a scary prospect.

Fortunately, you can protect yourself against bots with the right software. Mst antivirus packages will come equipped with CAPTCHA, a process that catches bots before they are able to do any harm to your systems. What’s more, this software removes them from the web entirely, ensuring that they cannot do any further harm to anyone else unfortunate enough to come into contact with this malicious program.

Fuzzing

Fuzzing is a process that is used to find faults in your software security. Once these faults have been identified, the hacker is able to exploit your weaknesses to upload all kinds of malware and other harmful programs into your systems. It isn’t all doom and gloom, however.

Fuzzing may sound like a negative aspect of cybersecurity, but it can be used for your benefit. Many security software providers, like For All Secure, will use fuzzing to keep your systems up to date. This is a process called application fuzzing, and its main goal is to find the weaknesses in your security protocols before the hackers. Therefore, you can use application fuzzing to learn how to improve your cybersecurity.

Click Hacking

Search any web page, and you will notice that the text is full of links to other pages. These links are used for all manner of helpful processes. They can help you navigate the site better, divert you to relevant information, or promote other sites you should visit. However, the prevalence of weblinks has given cybercriminals another avenue to gain access to your information.

Some hackers can hijack certain links on a site or force you to click on links that will lead you to a harmful site the second you log on to that page. This is an attack known as click hacking, and you may not be aware of the crime until it is too late. Experts aren’t too concerned about click hacking as it is easy to spot. What’s more, sites are always monitoring their links to keep them safe. However, you should still protect yourself from click hackers with the right software.

Cloud

The cloud is a very useful piece of kit for anyone that runs a large business. Sometimes, a data breach can occur because an employee has not backed up a piece of data. Therefore, a hacker can gain access to this information and use this entry point to root around the rest of your linked servers. 

A cloud-based server links all your files through the internet, keeping the encryption software active. This means that your data is constantly being re-encrypted once it is uploaded to the cloud, keeping it safe from prying eyes. Once a hacker is kicked out of the server, they will then have to start the decryption process all over again. by the time they get close to accessing your information, the data is re-encrypted, and they are kicked out of the program once more. As you can see, cloud servers are the way forward when it comes to protecting your information.

Hats

Not all cybersecurity terms are straightforward. You may encounter something that is known as a black hat or a white hat when discussing your protected information. These hats are terms used to describe two different types of hacking. 

Black hats are those who steal people’s information by illegally breaking into their network. These are seen as criminals as per modern data laws. On the other hand, white hats are those who breach your network and gain your data with your consent. This usually happens when companies test your security networks like with the application fuzzing discussed earlier. It might be hard to get your head around but try and remember that black hats are the bad guys, and white hats are there to help you. However, if you are ever unsure of someone’s intent then you should never freely hand over your private information. Trust your instincts and you should be fine.

Summary

There you have just a few of the newer terms being thrown around in today’s world of business security. It is important to learn them all, and always stay on top of the latest cybersecurity news as it comes.