Hacker attacks are not just about a genius programmer breaking code. In reality, most attacks use simple tricks and human inattention. Let us go through the most common types of attacks so you know what they look like and how to defend against them.

Attacks targeting people

Phishing

The most widespread attack. The attacker sends a fraudulent email or message pretending to be from a trustworthy company (bank, courier, authority) and tries to lure passwords or details out of you. In detail in the article on phishing and scam emails.

Social engineering

A broader category where the attacker manipulates a person into revealing information or doing something. For example, they impersonate a colleague or technician. Today AI amplifies this, more in the article on social engineering and AI scams.

Spear phishing and fraud (BEC)

A targeted version of phishing at a specific person or company, often impersonating a boss or supplier to get the victim to send money or data.

Attacks on passwords

Brute force

The attacker tries passwords endlessly until they hit the right one. It is defended with strong passwords, an attempt limit and two-factor authentication.

Dictionary attack

A variant that tries the most commonly used passwords and words. That is why simple passwords like “password123” are so dangerous.

Credential stuffing

The attacker uses passwords leaked from one service and tries them on others, because people reuse passwords. That is exactly why every service should have a unique password, a password manager helps.

Attacks on networks and services

DDoS

The attacker overwhelms a website or service with a flood of requests, so it stops working. In detail in the article on what a DDoS attack is.

Man-in-the-middle (MITM)

The attacker inserts themselves between you and the service and eavesdrops on or alters the communication. The threat is mainly on unsecured networks, which is why HTTPS and caution on public WiFi matter.

Attacks on websites and applications

SQL injection

The attacker slips a malicious command through a form or field on a website and tries to reach the database. It is defended with correctly written and updated websites.

XSS (cross-site scripting)

The attacker injects a malicious script into a website, which then runs for visitors. The goal is usually the theft of data or a session.

For websites on ready-made systems (for example WordPress), it is defended with updates and security, more in the article on how to secure WordPress.

Advanced and specific attacks

Zero-day

An attack that exploits a still-unknown or unpatched flaw in software for which there is no patch yet. It is among the most dangerous, because there is no direct defense against it yet except fast updates.

Supply chain attack

The attacker compromises a trustworthy supplier or software, through which they then reach its customers. It is insidious because it comes from a trustworthy source.

Ransomware attack

A combination of a breach and ransomware that encrypts a company’s data and demands a ransom. Today it is among the most common and most expensive attacks on companies.

How to defend (the common foundation)

Even though there are many attacks, the defense rests on the same foundations:

  • Strong and unique passwords and two-factor authentication.
  • Up-to-date software and systems.
  • Caution toward emails, links and attachments.
  • Backups that save you after an attack.
  • Educated people. The weakest link tends to be the human, which is why cybersecurity principles help.

Conclusion

There are many types of hacker attacks, from phishing and social engineering through password and network attacks to advanced zero-day and supply chain attacks. But one thing unites them: most can be prevented with a combination of technology and caution. When you know the threats and follow the basics, you significantly reduce the risk.

Want to protect your company from cyber attacks and train your people? Get in touch, we will design protection and prevention to measure.

This article is part of our Cybersecurity overview.