We say there’s been a cyber incident when an attacker or group of attackers successfully breach security measures and access a network, system or service. Cyber incidents refer to a wide range of cyber attacks, including data theft, service disruption and large-scale damage. They can cause a business to suffer great losses or even bankrupt an individual.
Examples of Cyber incidents
- Phishing attack: This involves the attacker sending out emails made to appear legitimate but instead contain malware designed to steal sensitive information from the target.
- Ransomware attack: Here, the attacker infects the target’s system with a kind of malware that encrypts all their files, making them inaccessible until a ransom is paid.
- DDoS attack: This kind of incident involves the attacker overwhelming a system’s resources, flooding it with requests that prevent any other access from the subscribed users.
Handling cyber incidents
- Quickly point out and analyse any incidents to get a better grasp of the possible harm.
- Adhere to a preset incident response strategy.
- Once you address the present threat, assess the incident to guard against any future attacks.
- Report any incidents to the appropriate authorities and comply with any legal and ethical responsibilities.
