Hackers vs. companies: 12 strategies for defence against hacking

Technology is ubiquitous and data has become a valuable resource, the concept of hacking has taken on a prominent role. From hacking into systems for ethical reasons to malicious attacks on confidential information, hacking has many facets and impacts organisations, governments and individual users.

In this article, we will explore the world of hacking, its definition and the different motivations, methods and protection strategies that play a role in this constant battle between attackers and defenders.

A. What is hacking?

Hacking refers to the act of identifying, analysing and exploiting vulnerabilities in computer systems, networks or software to gain unauthorised access to information, resources or control. Hacking can take both a positive form, to uncover and close security gaps (ethical hacking), and a negative form, where illegal or malicious acts are carried out to cause personal gain, data theft or damage.

6 Differences between hacking and cyber attacks

Hacking and cyberattacks are two terms that are often associated with each other, but they have different meanings and connotations:

Hacking refers to the act of penetrating computer systems, while a cyberattack is a deliberate and often malicious act intended to cause harm or gain unauthorised access. Ethical hacking can be seen as a legal and constructive form of hacking, whereas cyberattacks are usually perceived as unlawful and harmful activities.

B. 10 types of hacking

Hacking involves the unauthorised intrusion into computer systems or networks with the aim of gaining unauthorised access to information, resources or control. This activity manifests itself in various forms, which can vary depending on the objective, approach and motivation. Find out what the most common hacking methods are.

1. Ethical hacking (white hat hacking): Ethical hackers are authorised persons who detect vulnerabilities in computer systems in order to close security gaps. Their aim is to improve security and protect against potential attacks.

2. Black hat hacking: Black hat hackers are malicious individuals who infiltrate computer systems for personal gain, to steal data or to cause damage. They act illegally and without authorisation.

3. Grey hat hacking: Grey hat hackers operate in a grey area between ethical and malicious hacking. They discover vulnerabilities and often inform the affected parties, but sometimes publish information without their consent.

4. Cracking: This refers to the circumvention of protection mechanisms in software or on electronic devices in order to change or extend their functionality or make illegal copies.

5. Social engineering: This is a tactic in which hackers use human psychology to trick users into revealing information or performing actions that give them access to systems.

6. Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS): This type of attack uses multiple computers to simultaneously flood a website or network with massive amounts of traffic, causing an overload and disrupting service to legitimate users.

7. Keylogging: This is the recording of a user's keystrokes in order to steal passwords, usernames and other sensitive information.

8. Zero-day exploits: These refer to security vulnerabilities in software or operating systems that have not yet been fixed and can therefore be exploited by hackers before a patch is released.

9. Watering hole attacks: This involves compromising legitimate websites to infect users with malware that gets onto their systems when they visit those websites.

10. Phishing: Phishers use fake websites, emails or messages to trick users into revealing sensitive information such as passwords, credit card information or personal details.

C. 10 reasons for hacker attacks

Hacker attacks can be carried out for a variety of reasons, ranging from financial motivations to ideological goals. Here are some common reasons for hacker attacks:

• Financial gain: Many hackers carry out attacks for financial gain. This can include stealing credit card information, bank details or blackmailing victims through ransomware.
• Data theft: Hackers may steal personal or confidential information to sell, publicise or use for identity theft.
  Economic espionage: Companies and nations may attempt to steal valuable information from competitors or other countries to gain an economic advantage.
• Activism: Ideological hackers or so-called "hacktivists" carry out attacks to spread political or social messages, denounce grievances or promote a particular agenda.
• Revenge: Some hackers attack for personal reasons to take revenge on individuals, companies or institutions.
• Espionage and intelligence activities: Nations may use hackers to gather information from other countries, exert political influence or gain military advantage.
• Sabotage: Hackers can disrupt services or infrastructure to cause chaos, confusion or disruption, whether for ideological or destabilising reasons.
• Take control: Some attacks aim to take control of computers, networks or devices in order to use them for future attacks or as part of a botnet.
• Research and challenge: Some hackers carry out attacks to test their technical skills, discover vulnerabilities or research new attack methods.
• Curiosity: Some hackers carry out attacks to simply explore and see what they can find in systems without any specific intentions.
  
  

D. How does hacking work?

Hacking is a complex process that involves various steps to gain unauthorised access to computer systems, networks or software.

Information gathering: The first step for a hacker is to gather information about the target. This can include identifying IP addresses, domain names, operating systems, software used, network structures and possible vulnerabilities. This information enables the hacker to specifically search for vulnerabilities.

Scanning: Once the hacker has gathered enough information, they start scanning the target system or network. Tools are used to identify open ports, services, vulnerabilities and possible entry points.

Vulnerability identification: Based on the results of the scan, the hacker searches for vulnerabilities in the system or network. These can be outdated software, insecure configurations or known security gaps that can be exploited.

Exploitation: Once a vulnerability has been identified, the hacker develops methods to exploit it. This may include the use of exploits, malicious code or other techniques to gain control of the system or unauthorised access.

Gain access: Once the vulnerability has been successfully exploited, the hacker gains access to the target. This can include administrative rights, root access or control over important system components.

Maintaining access: An experienced hacker will often try to maintain access to the target by setting up backdoors, hidden access points or other mechanisms to regain access to the system later.

Exploration and collection of information: Once the hacker has access, he searches the system or network for sensitive data, login credentials or other relevant information.

Manipulation or damage: Depending on the hacker's objectives, they can manipulate the system, steal data, infiltrate malicious code or disrupt services.

Covering the tracks: To remain undetected, hackers often try to disguise their activities by deleting logs, covering tracks or leaving false information to disguise the source of their attacks.

E. Protection against hacking

To protect themselves from hacker attacks, companies and organisations can implement a combination of technical measures, security guidelines and training. Here are some tips that can help:

• Update and patch management: Keep all software, operating systems and applications up to date and regularly install security patches to close known vulnerabilities.

• Firewalls and Intrusion Detection/Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS): Implement firewalls to monitor network traffic and block unwanted access. IDS/IPS systems can detect and respond to suspicious activity.

• Strong authentication: Use multi-factor authentication for access to systems and networks to secure passwords alone.

• Secure configurations: Ensure systems and applications are configured according to security best practices to minimise potential entry points for hackers.

• Raise security awareness: Organise security training for your employees to recognise phishing attacks and social engineering. Employees should be informed about best practices to avoid security risks.

• Data encryption: Encrypt sensitive data both at rest and in transit to ensure that even if an attack occurs, the stolen data is useless.

• Regular backups: Create regular backups of your data and systems. These backups should be stored in a secure location to enable recovery in the event of a ransomware attack.

• Manage access rights: Only grant access to information and resources to those users who need it. Manage access rights carefully to prevent unauthorised access.

• Penetration tests: Carry out regular penetration tests to identify and fix vulnerabilities in your systems before hackers can exploit them.

• Create contingency plans: Develop clear contingency plans in the event of a successful hacker attack. These plans should include steps for containment, recovery and communication with affected parties.

• External security audits: Utilise external security consultants or companies to review your systems and networks for vulnerabilities and provide recommendations to improve security.

• Monitoring and alerting: Utilise security monitoring systems that detect suspicious activity and notify you immediately to take quick countermeasures.

By implementing robust security policies, training employees and keeping technology up to date, organisations can not only protect their valuable data and systems, but also build trust with their customers and partners.

Hackers may be constantly evolving their skills, but with a proactive and holistic security strategy, organisations can build a strong wall of defence that lays the foundation for a secure digital future.

Try DriveLock's solution to protect your sensitive data for 30 days to avoid potential hacking! Schedule a meeting with our exparts and start your journey now.