This archive report was first published on 1 September 2019.
Published on September 1, 2019, a cyberattack is not an unfortunate event that befalls unlucky organisations. Hackers are equal opportunity attackers, and no organisation is immune to their attacks.
When hackers strike, they prey on organisations and steal precious information, which they can sell or hold for ransom. To thwart these attacks, organisations must first understand the anatomy of a cyberattack and the motive behind it.
Effective cyber defence requires knowing how hackers think and operate. They start by researching their target, often focusing on the email addresses of top-ranked staff members, including directors, CEOs, and IT directors.
Once they have this information, hackers use malicious software to snoop for fault lines in a company's computer network. They then glean out sensitive information, which they can sell or encrypt and demand ransom.
Organisations can protect themselves from cyberattacks by maintaining up-to-date protective software, conducting regular technology audits, and training their staff. As the founder of the Boy Scouts, Baden-Powell, once said, 'you should always be in a state of readiness.'
