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How to Maximise Cybersecurity to Thwart the Cyber Security (Emerging) Challenges We Face Today

Mike Oliver

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Cybersecurity

Why is cybercrime on the rise? 

Cybercrime has been on the increase in recent months and years. It coincides with the ever-increasing popularity of surfing the Internet, increased activity in social engineering, the introduction of the Internet of Things, cloud computing, and other emerging technologies, including, of course, AI. As Kate Richardson, the strategic betting analyst and expert in developing and implementing data for MightyTips, says, “With its ever-increasing popularity, the online gambling industry is also dealing with the toughest cyber security challenges it has seen to date.

The need for improving cyber security awareness has never been more vital, particularly with new, emerging technologies.

Common Cyber Security Challenges 

The 2024 Elastic Global Threat Report did a good job of rounding up and summarising the security threats that would challenge us in 2024, but time marches on, and the security challenges that we all face in the near and immediate future remain daunting. In an effort to make as many people as possible aware of cyber security threats to be on the lookout for, let’s take a look at some of the most common, starting with malware.

Malware – Hidden Downloads that Threaten Cyber Security

Malware, which is an abbreviation of the two words ‘malicious’ and ‘software’, is an ‘umbrella’ term that is used today to describe codes or programs that are harmful to online devices. Malware is designed by cyber criminals to invade, damage, and disable computer networks and systems as well as laptops, tablets, and mobile devices.

It can be hidden in downloads, which means that you need to take extra care, particularly when downloading online software, as you could unwittingly introduce new vulnerabilities into an otherwise safe, secure device. It is the oldest cyber security threat and is still prevalent today. 

One way of avoiding getting caught out when gambling is only to use sites that use SSL encryption to mitigate cyber attacks and that operate under legitimate licenses like those issued by the UK Gambling Commission. Let’s continue by taking a look at some of the different types of cyber malware and how they are purposed.

Denial of Service (DoS) attacks

DoS attacks are one of the top 5 cyber threats that target commercial business sites. They usually work by flooding the target system with an overwhelming amount of data that makes it impossible for the system to process normal traffic. DoS attacks are one of the potential threats that can be launched from a single computer.

Phishing Attack Vulnerability

Phishing Attack

Phishing attacks are often designed to gain illegal access to sensitive information and are one of the most common forms of cyber attacks. They appear to come from genuine and rely on the gullibility or unawareness of users. Today’s cybercriminals are a sophisticated breed, and the scams they create appear alarmingly genuine. There are various types of phishing attacks, including:

  • BEC (Business Email Compromise)
  • Clone phishing
  • Deceptive phishing
  • Smishing
  • Snowshoeing
  • Spear phishing
  • Vishing
  • Whaling

You can discover more about each of the above types of phishing scams from the Cisco website.

Internet of Things (IoT) attacks 

The Internet of Things is used today to control many devices, and as a result, the threat of potential cyber attacks in the home environment has risen. Thanks to open code sources as used on programs like Magento React, cybercriminals have become aware of code oddities which could facilitate new threats, such as:

  1. Default Passwords: Many companies deliver gadgets that have default passwords, and they don’t remind you about changing them. Devices include the likes of home routers, light control systems,  and security cameras. IoT security is threatened by the fact that default passwords are widely known, meaning that the devices can be compromised, outweighing many potential benefits.

  2. Potential communication breaches: Messages transmitted over the network by IoT devices are, in some cases, not encrypted, posing an IoT security threat. Using standards like Transport Layer Security (TLS), SSL, and transport encryption is the recommended way of guaranteeing safe end-to-end connection.

  3. Sensitive information leaks: Skilled cyber crooks can do significant harm even through learning internet protocol (IP) addresses from IoT devices. They can be used to establish a user’s precise address. The use of a VPN to disguise your IP address is the recommended solution.

  4. AI and automation: Artificial intelligence is already being used globally scale. But automation creates a security risk. All it takes is one single programming error or dodgy algorithm to bring down an entire network and the infrastructure it runs.

Artificial Intelligence Attacks 

Artificial intelligence is now so well-established and clever that most people can’t discern fake news from real news. It’s becoming an accepted feature of everyday life, and cyber crooks have already jumped on the bandwagon, having spotted an easy way to get around the security measures of both everyday folk and businesses, too. 

But, as Kate Richardson explains, “AI can be put to good use in the online gambling world to seek out the best odds when betting on sporting events. Sportbooks and sports betting are now enormously popular, and many online gamblers have turned to it. 

But, of course, you can still fall foul of fakes, which is why Kate recommends only using sites, like MightyTips, which has only the most reliable bookmakers.

The Rise of Ransomware Attacks

One of the more recent threats to online security is that of ransomware. It’s a security issue for both private surgery and large corporates. Ransomware attacks are typically used to extort money by threatening or actually shutting down computers and networks.

Email Cybersecurity Challenges

Once hailed as a revolution in communication, cyber attackers use email today as a way of bringing about data breaches and potentially accessing sensitive data, including personal information. It’s an ever-evolving scenario in today’s digital world and is one of the biggest threats.

Cloud computing emerging cyber security challenges 

While the introduction of cloud service software and programs has been a revelation in terms of data storage, it also opens the door to unauthorized access and data breaches on a hitherto unforeseen scale. While it can be a huge advantage for remote work opportunities, improved online security strategies must be forthcoming.

Insider Attacks that Expose Business Operation Liabilities

Insider attacks are a huge security threat to any business because they can circumnavigate security systems and might otherwise be considered safe. It’s some of the prime ways in which data can be stolen, and highly sensitive data at that.

The Top 5 Best Practices for Achieving Personal Data Online Security

Many of the cyber security issues individuals face on a daily basis can be mitigated with relative ease by improving your security posture in the following ways.

  • Adopt improved password and authentication control.
  • Keep your systems up to date, even at the basic level, by running things like regulating Windows updates.
  • Read and digest data privacy and protection policies/
  • Regularly audit your privacy settings.
  • Use a VPN.

Techniques like those listed above are simple to initiate but are of little use unless they are regularly reviewed. Before opening, be aware of the possibility of phishing emails, and if you find any, report them on an incident response site.

If you are into gambling over the Internet, following the recommendations shown above will ensure a stress-free, safe and secure experience, so says Kate Richardson, and as one of the acknowledged online gambling gurus, she knows what she’s talking about.

The importance of cybersecurity for preventing security breaches

Emerging challenges and cybersecurity threats are here to stay. On a corporate level, the need for enhanced data security cannot be over-emphasised. There are plenty of emerging cybersecurity firms  joining the fray, so reviewing the advanced security measures available today needs to be on top of any company’s priority list