How to provide cybersecurity for corporate PCs in USA and Canada?

In today's world, cyber security should be a top priority for any business. We are talking not only about large corporations whose client base numbers more than half a million users. Protecting corporate computers is important, even for midsize companies and small businesses (so called SMBs). All organizations want to find the best ways to improve cybersecurity, but some take it as a secondary concern or may not have the resources or expertise in place.

What is cybersecurity in USA and Canada?

In simple terms, cybersecurity is a set of methods that are needed for protection in the virtual space. This can be attributed to the shield of your personal data, accounts, social media, passwords, data on your PC (photos, videos, audio), databases, and various software. If you have strong cybersecurity, you would reduce the risk of an info being stolen or your system being hacked. Cybersecurity covers many different aspects of information technology and Internet use. It's not just viruses and Trojans; it's also piracy, phishing attacks, and much more. Let's look at everything in more detail and gradually.

Who provides cybersecurity in United States and Canada?

A built-in or separate antivirus is responsible for cybersecurity for home devices. But if you want to protect corporate data as much as possible, then you need an experienced cybersecurity specialist who is well aware of all types of cyber attacks and how to combat them. This profession is also called Information security specialist. These employees work in large financial and IT companies, and such experts are especially valuable in government agencies or defense departments, where their main task is not just data protection but ensuring national security and preventing infiltration into government infrastructure. If you are the owner of an organization and you need a cybersecurity specialist, hire a qualified person and provide them with all the necessary equipment.

What is information security in America and Canada?

To better understand types of attacks in cyber security, you need to first study the concept of information security. Then, we will learn how this type of security differs from cyber one. Information security includes methods and means aimed at protecting the company’s information infrastructure from external or internal threats that lead to property damage, data changes, theft, and so on. The main sub-items of information security for an enterprise are spam, viruses, threats from authorized users, external targeted attacks, and various force majeure circumstances.

Difference between information security and cybersecurity

When we talk about ways to improve cybersecurity efficiency and methods to protect information, you may think that these are the same concepts. But this is not entirely correct. Data and information are different. For example, 140589 is data, but if you see this number as a date of birth, then it is information because it has a certain meaning. Information security and cybersecurity are similar because they have the same goal - responsibility for the security and protection of a computer network from threats. However, their directions are different because information is data that has some meaning.

Types of cyber attacks in North America

In 2024, the cybercrime landscape has expanded even further. There are more threats that can steal data and harm your device's system. But, experienced security software developers have timely identified the characteristics of each cyber attack and offer improved ways to combat them. Let's discuss the list of types of cyber attacks so that you and all employees can be prepared and recognize them.

• Data leak. If we are talking about a company, its personal data is confidential. This includes information about employees, their bank accounts, customer base, competitors, product data, partners, and much more. But the leak can be accidental, for example, after the loss of a tablet or phone.
• CEO fraud. This type of fraud is aimed at a specific person about whom the necessary information was collected. This can be called spear phishing. Information about the person can be collected from general sources (social networks, company website, etc.). As a result the fraudster calls someone in the firm as its manager and asks to transfer a large amount for the purposes of the company on behalf of the boss (concluding an important transaction).
• Phishing. These are not new types of cyber attacks; the purpose of such an attack is to gain access to credentials or steal confidential company information. Most often, the sender of a dangerous letter disguises himself as a popular corporation in order to initiate communication with the victim. It could be correspondence via email, social networks, phone calls, SMS, or instant messengers.
• Human resources fraud. The cybercriminal impersonates a company employee and asks to transfer wages to another account, which, of course, is controlled by the fraudster.
• Extortion. Different types of attacks in cyber security could damage a system and this is one of them. The victim receives a letter indicating that their data has been stolen. The scammer demands a certain amount of money, often cryptocurrency. If the victim does not give the money, the scammer threatens to send personal photos to all people on the contact list. This extortion is one of the types of email cyber attacks that is more about the theft of personal (even intimate) photos.
• Attacks on a corporate network. Such an attack has a specific goal - to harm the image of your company. But there is also a more entertaining goal - simply adding funny or even obscene pictures to the company’s website. DoS attacks are also worth mentioning here. Take care to protect your corporate network because even a small design error and poor web configuration will make it easier for cyber scammers to operate. Remember that any company website needs a security policy.
• Ransomware. If we consider 10 types of cyber attacks, then this type is included in the first 5. Ransomware attacks are software that blocks access to corporate information, usually through encryption. It is one of the most common and effective attacks. In some cases, data may be restored only after paying the required amount.
• Fraud of false technical support. Any company should be attentive and have a technical support department that will warn employees about errors that will be detected in the corporate system. This type of cyber attack can threaten not only the privacy and security of the entire company but also the computer of a specific employee.
• Infected emails. Most modern companies that have moved their business to the World Wide Web have their own unique email address. This could be the sales department, technical support mail, customer support, human resources department, and so on. Employees also communicate with each other because the corporate network is very convenient. But this is not always safe. Fraudsters can send an infected email that looks like a decoy (coupon, invoice, customer response).
• Adware attacks. If we consider the top 3 types of cyber attacks, many victims will name this point. Everything seems simple - the user watches an advertisement, and some company makes money from this. But this attack type implies that the money goes to the scammer, and through such advertising, an infection makes its way to the user’s device.
• Supplier impersonation attack. This is the most common types of cyber security attacks for companies because it can seriously harm the corporate system. The point is that the scammer sends a letter to the company on behalf of the provider. The goal is to receive an amount for the services they performed for your company. You send money, and the intended recipient will never receive it.

We have described the most common virtual attacks that affect office systems. But there are also other dangers, such as spoofing, supply chain attacks, or IoT attacks. If you do not want your company to become a victim of virtual criminals, take care of a high-quality anti-virus solution that will ideally suit all the requirements of your organization; make sure that you have purchased licensed software and activated an authentic code to reliably protect all corporate stationary and mobile devices. These could be cybersecurity programs for small businesses or multifunctional antivirus products for huge corporations.

Elements of cybersecurity in North America

Now that we have learned what types of cyber attacks are there, we need to define the basic elements of cyber security. A secure corporate network consists of many functions, but we need to highlight its main aspects:

• Security for all applications. Programs and apps are a popular area that cyber criminals attack, so their vulnerability causes many problems. Companies that have their own websites and conduct business through them must secure their virtual portals as much as possible. It is important to protect not only your financial data but also your clients and their personal information.
• Network computer security. Here, we are talking about everything that is included in computer protection: solving various problems on hosts, servers, devices, and Internet services. It is also important to remember network data security through the integrity of data on the network.
• User training. Your company's cyber security will be strong if you have well-trained staff. That is, if there is a weak link in the team, the cyber security strategy will be unreliable. Train your team so that each employee can improve cybersecurity efficiency. Everyone should know what to do with an incoming cyber threat.
• Operational information security. This element is very important because its function is to protect the core functions of the company. It is needed to track critical information and the assets that interact with it to identify vulnerabilities.
• Interest in the company's management. Every manager must understand the importance of cybersecurity for their business. For better results they need to be willing to invest in cybersecurity. The specialists of their company must be qualified to do their job better.

When studying types of cyber attacks on banks, hospitals, government organizations, and other companies, it is important to understand that maximum protection is not just one antivirus solution, even at the highest level. Protection of the entire computer network requires a reliable and experienced team of experts, the necessary equipment and the most modern software.

What are the three aspects of cybersecurity in the U.S.?

1. Confidentiality. This is a process that does not provide access to data for fraudsters and unknowns. This measure is necessary to prevent certain info from falling into the wrong hands. If we consider a company, it contains information that is open or closed to specific people depending on their profession. This aspect is especially taken into account when choosing cybersecurity programs for federal employees.
2. Integrity. This process ensures that all of your company's data is accurate, consistent, and verified - meaning it is trustworthy. If such data needs to be changed or deleted, then there must be some permission. To maintain data integrity, you need to have a secure backup. The most reliable option is cloud backup storage.
3. Availability. All components must be up to date and properly maintained. This is not only the network and equipment but also devices and software. Employees must access data without interruption. Key points from various types of attacks in cyber security are firewalls, backups, utilities, data recovery plans, and proxy servers.

What are the cybersecurity risks in America and Canada?

To improve cybersecurity, think like a hacker. Your goal is not only to expose the company to risks and losses through a data breach. A cyber attack is also associated with consequences that will hit your business. This could include operational disruptions, financial losses, and even reputational damage. A company that has suffered a cyber attack must make every effort to restore its data and reputation among partners and clients. This is especially difficult if the attack affects the personal and financial data of clients. Attackers can also steal important government data, innovative technologies, and developments.

What programs are needed for cybersecurity?

Companies use different instruments to identify any types of cyber attacks and how to prevent them. Developers carefully study various malware attacks and create authentic ways to combat them. Let's briefly describe 5 of them.

1. Python. Its tools help identify and analyze various dangerous software. This programming language is one of the most popular for ensuring a high level of cyber security.
2. Wireshark. In addition to assessing and analyzing vulnerabilities, this tool helps monitor network security. Using Wireshark to improve cybersecurity is free and can run on different operating systems.
3. Ubuntu. The tool works on desktops, corporate servers, the web, and the cloud. It has different methods of protection against virtual threats and a built-in firewall.
4. AWS. The platform offers advanced capabilities for cyber security: remote computing, servers, storage, and so on. The advantage is scalability and cost efficiency.
5. Pandas. A simple and intuitive tool to improve cybersecurity. It has open-source code and instruments for data manipulation and analysis. Here, users will spend less time writing code and more time-solving important problems.

There are also other platforms, such as NumPy. Its advantage is that it uses less memory than Python. Here, the user can further optimize the code he or she will write. The slicing tool is very powerful, multi-dimensional slicing is performed in ways not found in other similar platforms.

10 tips to help companies improve cybersecurity

Many large companies have already taken the necessary measures to protect their data as much as possible from cybercriminals. But, there are start-up organizations and small firms that are just starting their business journey. If the owners of such companies have clearly drawn up a business plan, then they should understand the importance of cyber security. Experts in this field offer 10 useful tips on how to save a business from cyber security types of attacks.

1. Protect your video conference so that your virtual meeting does not include third party or cyber criminals who can use important secret information for their own bad purposes. Set a password in the conference room and give it to the participant in the video meeting only.
2. Use a strict access policy for your company's important files. It is best to store them in the cloud because this will make them more difficult to hack and manage.
3. Don't forget to regularly back up all your company data. Pay attention to databases. Even if you lose any information, you can find it in the backup.
4. Remind your employees and cyber security department to change their passwords regularly. Even if their passwords seem strong, virtual scammers may find ways to crack them.
5. Of course, it is more convenient for each employee to create their own unique password, which will be easier for them to remember. But for maximum security against the most common types of cyber attacks, it is better not to save passwords in the browser and use a password manager.
6. It's best to use two-factor authentication. This will give you additional protection because these are passwords that need to be entered over a certain period.
7. Allocate certain funds to train your employees. Cyber security breaches are often the result of human carelessness. Your staff are specialists in various fields, but they should also have basic knowledge of how to prevent a threat (at least promptly contact the cyber protection department).
8. Regularly update software that is aimed at protecting your corporate network. Virtual threats are evolving every day, and cyber scammers are finding new ways to hack. Be equal, update the software so that it can identify and block new types of cyber attacks.
9. Tell employees about spam emails and phishing. It is important that they pay attention to suspicious emails and not open messages that seem strange.
10. If some of your employees have left, you need to make sure that they no longer have access to your company data. You should remove the accounts of fired people from your corporate database and block their access to cloud storage.

Another useful tip is to use a VPN to access the Internet and remove any requests for personal information or passwords. Think about your employees and create a quick contact for them on the corporate network so that they can notify each other about a problem. Even an intrusion into one office computer can lead to infection of the entire network.