2024-03-21 06:25:27
The director of the Entel Digital Cyberintelligence Center provided recommendations so that people, companies or organizations can prevent being victims of this crime.
In the context of the latest Entel Digital Cybersecurity Report, which showed that Chile was the fourth country with the most cyber attacks during 2023, the questions arise: what are cyber attacks? How to prevent them? And what to do if I suffer one?
To answer these and other questions, the director of the Cyber Intelligence Center (CCI) of Entel Digital, Eduardo Bouillet, shared with THE DYNAMOsome recommendations and measures to take.
What are cyber attacks?
By definition, a cyberattack is an act where a third party seeks to obtain unauthorized access to a computer system, network or device with the aim of causing damage or stealing information.
Both people, companies or organizations can be victims of cyberattacks, which can result in consequences with different dimensions in each case.
Bouillet explained that for companies and organizations “the effects of cyberattacks can include the critical data loss of business, interruption of commercial operations, damage to brand reputationloss of customer and partner trust, and significant financial costs associated with incident response, data recovery, and possible legal fines due to non-compliance with data protection regulations.”
For individuals, the “theft of personal information, such as financial data, identity and private photos, can lead to financial fraud, identity theft and extortion. Consequences that may be minor, but also trigger significant financial impacts and emotional damage“, said.
Cyber attacks can be of the type ransomware: data hijacking; malware: codes or programs that damage a computer system or its users; O hacking: techniques to access a computer system, violating the security measures originally established.
Consequences of ransoware
In the event that a company or organization is a victim of ransomware, the consequences can be negative and varied, impacting not only in the technological field, but also in the financial, operational and reputational fields.
The director of the CCI of Entel Digital listed six main consequences:
Loss of critical data– File encryption can result in irrecoverable loss of important data if there are no adequate backup copies or if these are also compromised.
Discontinuation of operations: Ransomware can paralyze business operations, halting production, customer services, and other essential activities, leading to significant economic losses.
Direct financial costs: In addition to the ransom payment, which does not guarantee data recovery, victims incur costs related to incident investigation, system restoration, and mitigation measures to prevent future attacks.
Damage to reputation: The trust of customers and partners can be severely damaged when it becomes known that the organization has been vulnerable to an attack, affecting long-term business relationships.
Regulatory non-compliance and sanctions: Depending on the jurisdiction and sector, organizations may face fines and legal sanctions for non-compliance with data protection regulations if sensitive customer or user information is compromised.
Impact on staff mental health and wellbeing: Working under the pressure of a ransomware attack and its aftermath can have a significant impact on the mental health and well-being of employees involved in resolving the crisis.
How to prevent cyber attacks?
Specific actions recommended to prevent cyberattacks include: system access controlpolicies strong passwordsthe classification of informationhe sensitive data encryptionthe constant software update of business and awareness of the staff, among others.
Regarding the last recommendation, Bouillet mentioned that it is necessary for companies and organizations to take into account carrying out a continuous trainingaccomplish Simulacros de Phishinghave a active communication and provide accessible resources of guides on how to properly handle and protect sensitive and personal information.
“It is essential that organizations take a comprehensive approach to protecting their digital assets and data, considering this risk as a fundamental part of their business strategy. This implies not only strengthening one’s own defenses, but also establishing security standards for key partners and suppliers,” commented Cyril Delaere, manager of Cybersecurity Services at Entel Digital.
What to do after a cyber attack?
In the words of Eduardo Bouillet, “once you are a victim of a cyber attack, it is crucial to adopt a series of immediate and strategic measures to mitigate the impact and prevent future incidents.”
A first action that he advised to do is identify the scope of the attack and contain it to prevent it from spreading to other parts of the network or systems.
“This may involve isolating affected systems or temporarily disconnecting the network from the Internet,” he said.
Once the threat is contained, the next priority is eliminate the source of the attackwhich may include removing malware, closing exploited vulnerabilities, and strengthening security defenses.
Later comes the recovery. To do this, the affected systems and data must be restored from clean and safe backup copies.
“This must be done carefully so as not to reintroduce the threat into the system,” he advised.
A fourth step would be inform to interested parties and, if applicable, regulatory authorities and victims, of data theft. “Transparency in this process can help maintain trust and meet legal obligations,” he said.
Another recommendation is to carry out a detailed incident analysis to identify how the attack occurred, what went wrong in security defenses, and how the response can be improved in the future.
Based on the previous analysis, what continues is the implementation of security improvementsto finish with the reinforcement of the cybersecurity training for staffemphasizing the importance of safe practices and how to recognize potential threats.
“These measures should be part of a well-established incident response plan, which provides a clear framework to act quickly and effectively in the face of a cyberattack, minimizing its impact and improving the organization’s resilience against future threats, concluded Bouillet.