Top 10 Ways Hackers Get Around Your Firewall and Anti-Virus

Cyber crime has reached an all-time high, and hackers are targeting small and medium businesses as they are considered easy targets. To avoid becoming their next victim, it is essential to understand the most common ways hackers gain access and take steps to protect yourself. Here are the most common methods used by hackers.

1. Take Advantage of Poorly Trained Employees: The #1 vulnerability for business networks is the employees using them.
2. They Exploit Device Usage Outside of Company Business: You have no policy or a policy that sets few or no restrictions on how company-owned employees may use devices, software, Internet access, and email.
3. They Take Advantage of WEAK Password Policies: Passwords with fewer than eight characters, or that do not include lowercase and uppercase letters, symbols, or at least one number, are easy to crack. Passwords that are rarely changed also offer greater opportunities for hackers.
4. They Attack Networks That Are Not Properly Patched with The Latest Security Updates: New vulnerabilities are frequently found in operating systems and standard software programs you are using, such as Microsoft Office.
5. They Attack Networks with No Backups or Simple Single-Location Backups: Not having a solid, reliable backup can leave you with few options in a ransomware attack.
6. They Exploit Networks with Employee-Installed Software: One of the fastest ways cybercriminals gain access to networks is by duping unsuspecting users into willingly downloading malicious software embedded in files, games, or other “innocent”-looking apps.
7. They Attack Inadequate Firewalls: A firewall should act as the frontline defense against hackers. Without proper monitoring and maintenance, the firewall may fail to stop everything you haven’t explicitly allowed to enter (or leave) your computer network.
8. They Attack Your Devices When You’re Off the Office Network: It’s not uncommon for hackers to set up fake public Wi-Fi access points to try and get you to connect to THEIR Wi-Fi over the legitimate, safe public one made available to you.
9. They Use Phishing E-mails to Fool You Into Thinking That You’re Visiting A Legitimate Website: A phishing e-mail is a bogus e-mail that is carefully designed to look like a legitimate request (or attached file) from a site you trust to get you to give up your login information to a particular website willingly or to click and download a virus.
10. They Use Social Engineering and Pretend to Be You: This is a classic 21st-century tactic. Hackers impersonate you to reset your passwords. In 2009, social engineers posed as Coca-Cola’s CEO, persuading an executive to open an email with software that infiltrated the network.

Are You a Sitting Duck to Hackers?

If you run a small business, local government, or non-profit, you are under attack. Right now, extremely dangerous and well-funded cybercrime rings in China and Russia are using sophisticated software systems to hack into thousands of small organizations like yours to steal credit cards and client information and swindle money directly out of your bank account.

Let Commonwealth Sentinel help reduce risks and ensure everyone’s well-being. Our services include software and hardware solutions, training, and policy implementation. We offer a complimentary and confidential consultation with our advisors to discuss your concerns. This service is entirely free and could provide you with valuable insights. To schedule a consultation, click on the link here, or you may contact us at (502) 234-5554.