Network Security Threats

Malware: Short for malicious software, malware is software designed to damage, disrupt, steal, or in general perform harmful or inappropriate actions on computer systems.
Viruses: An infectious program or code that can replicate itself and cause changes to system software, damaging the system’s functionality or data.
Trojan Horses: Disguised as a legitimate software, a trojan horse performs actions that create a backdoor in the user’s system, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive data.
Ransomware: This type of malware encrypts the user’s files, rendering them inaccessible unless a ‘ransom’ is paid to the hacker for the decryption key.
Spyware: A type of malware that collects information about a person or organization without their knowledge.

Loss of Data: Malware like viruses can corrupt or delete data files. Ransomware can render data inaccessible.
Downtime: A cyber-attack can disrupt the operation of the system, causing downtime and productivity loss.
Reputation Damage: Security breaches can lead to a loss of trust from customers and a damaged company reputation.
Legal and Financial Penalties: Non-compliance with data protection laws can lead to hefty fines and legal penalties.

Firewalls: Firewalls act as the first line of defence in network security by blocking unauthorized access to the network.
Antivirus Software: This detects, prevents, and takes action to disarm or remove malware, such as viruses and worms, from a computer system.
Software Updates and Patches: Updating operating system software and applying patches can fix security vulnerabilities in the software.
Password Protection and Authentication: Proven methods of security include strong passwords, two-factor or multi-factor authentication. This can keep unauthorized users out of the network.
Encryption: Encryption turns readable data into encoded data which can only be read with a key, providing a high level of defence against network security threats.