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Looking for another reason to put on your party hat? Well, we’ve got one: **International Internet Day**. Celebrated every October 29th since 2005, International Internet Day celebrates the first electronic message ever transferred between two computers.

That first, small electronic transmission consisted of just an ‘L’ and an ‘O’ and took place back in 1969 just months after Neil Armstrong famously stated “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind” as he walked on the moon. The transmission of those two letters represented the birth of the Internet, and the world has never looked back. Today we send approximately 293.6 billion emails per day, a far cry from those two little letters of the alphabet sent 50 years ago.

![](https://i1.wp.com/blog.reasonsecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/shutterstock_1156923271.jpg?fit=720%2C377&ssl=1)

Granted, International Internet Day may not be the type of holiday that party dreams are made of, but as holidays celebrating world-changing inventions go, International Internet Day is right there at the top. On a more serious note, it also serves as an important wakeup call about cyber safety and the need to maintain [security online](http://r.mailings.virusbulletin.com/mk/mr/izr9B8GhtRqBnoEfZ074JpJFWkdP36bpwHfSmIy1K-QO6UR3DcG5Vcv0XSl7J4O1mwpGvKWVsVEg2ft89V-TxV20lubIcR8Qa3XoAtsFUJx9OXUMOkYdww). Considering that a hacking attack takes place approximately every 39 seconds, it’s a wakeup call we can’t ignore.

**So just what are these threats to online security?**

The list of online security threats is long, growing and evolving, but there are a few threats that standout in particular:

**Malware** – Malware run the gamut from adware, ransomware, and spyware to Trojans, viruses, and worms. Hackers use malware to illegally obtain credit card details, login credentials, PINs, and other sensitive information in order to steal money from their victims or make money by selling the information on the dark web. Malware can also be used to hold data hostage or steal identities. The best way for individuals and businesses to protect their systems and data is to install powerful antivirus software that provides scanning and protection, detection and threat removal in real time.

**Phishing** – Phishing takes many forms and it is one of the most widespread types of cyber attacks. These unwelcome intruders appear as routine, everyday emails from reliable sources, but in actuality deliver malware that gives hackers unauthorized access to a user’s data or computers. Hackers love phishing attacks because they have a high success rate and because phishing tools are low cost and widespread. Whaling, vishing, spear fishing, and smishing are all types of phishing attacks and they all rely on social engineering to trick victims into clicking on malicious links, visiting malicious websites, or downloading malicious attachments. Installing a secure browsing extension and maintaining a healthy dose of caution and awareness of phishing tactics, whether by the individual or company employees, are the most effective ways to stop phishing attacks.

![](https://i2.wp.com/blog.reasonsecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/shutterstock_1075182290.jpg?fit=720%2C480&ssl=1)

**Unsecure Web Browsing** – It’s not only phishing emails that can lure us into visiting malicious websites; innocent Web browsing or Web surfing can too. Malicious websites, which look like legitimate sites, will try to install any number of different types of malware by getting you to install software that your computer seems to need. However, there are also drive-by downloads, where all you have to do is just visit the malicious site to be infected; the actual download isn’t even necessary. In addition to keeping your web browser and operating system current, browser protection extensions, and unwanted software blockers are the best protection against malicious websites, but as with any cyber threat, cybersecurity awareness is key and you should always exercise caution before opening emails that look suspicious or visiting websites with odd URLs.

**Rootkits** – A rootkit is a program or even a collection of programs that covertly sit on a compromised computer and provide unauthorized access and control of the computer or its software to a hacker. Rootkits are difficult to detect and can go undetected for years as their principal function is to hide and protect their existence and the existence of other malware, which they often do by shutting down antivirus software. Rootkits are used to plant malware that can spy on and steal sensitive information such as banking credentials, passwords, and trade secrets, and to launch further network security attacks. Comprehensive, advanced antivirus software, browser protection and unwanted software blockers are the best defense against rootkits. Making sure your operating software and your antivirus software are always current and have the latest security patches is essential too. And if we haven’t said it enough, be aware of phishing emails, malicious websites, and attachments sent from unfamiliar sources.

![](https://i2.wp.com/blog.reasonsecurity.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/10/shutterstock_599075105.jpg?fit=720%2C360&ssl=1)

**Third party and supply chain attacks** – Specifically relevant to businesses, supply chain attacks can be devastating, especially to small and medium sized businesses that don’t have the resources to recover from such an attack. Third party and supply chain attacks take place when your business systems are compromised via an outside partner or service provider that has access to your data. Hackers will look for the weakest link in an online supply network such as unsecure network protocols or unsafe coding practices, and then slip their malware onto the target system without anyone ever noticing.

These attacks can wreak untold financial and reputational damage to businesses as they can go undetected for extended periods of time, furtively stealing sensitive information. Again, awareness and caution are requisite to a viable cybersecurity defense. Vetting your vendors to make sure they have the latest cybersecurity measures in place and making sure your operating systems and antivirus software are up-to-date are critical security steps too.

**Celebrate this holiday? Sure, but don’t forget about cybersecurity.**  
The ‘L’ and ‘O’ sent in that initial Internet transmission was supposed to be part of a larger transmission sending the word ‘Login’. The first attempt crashed, but a second attempt was successful and heralded in the era of the Internet.

![](https://cms.reasonlabs.com/cdn/shutterstock_1297517851-1375844364-1572348559937.jpg)

This day has certainly earned its place in history and deserves to be celebrated, but today the larger Internet picture includes being knowledgeable of cybersecurity issues and following good cyber hygiene. Without cybersecurity measures, your data and privacy are vulnerable and if you’re attacked, celebrating International Internet Day will be the last thing on your mind.

### Halloween: Famous SMB Cyber Attacks in Disguise.

Halloween normally conjures up images of costumes and candy, black cats and witches, ghosts and goblins, carved pumpkins, and scary activities. However, no amount of Halloween costuming or scary activities, come close to causing the amount of fear and damage that cyber attacks can cause small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). With cyber attacks, rather than black cats poised to strike, it’s black hats poised to strike, and rather than kids disguised in different Halloween costumes arriving at your door, it’s malware disguised as innocent emails or safe websites arriving on your business’ computers. But make no mistake: **malware is all trick and no treat.**

Cyber attacks, whether they come in the form of identity theft, phishing, ransomware, or any other type of attack, comprise one of the biggest threats and biggest fears facing SMBs today. CPOMagazine.com confirmed this in a recent report stating that 45% of SMBs feel that they are vulnerable to cyber attacks. More worrying, however, than statistics about the number of small businesses that fear a cyber attack, are the statistics, reported by smallbiztrends.com, that **43 percent of cyber attacks target small businesses, and 60 percent of those attacked go out of business within six months.**

#### Not scared yet? Hold on to your pumpkins – you will be after you read about these famous and damaging cyber attacks on SMBs.

**Fake Invoices Scam** – This type of scam can take many forms, but the objective is always the same: to get a business to send a payment to a fake supplier account. To launch this attack, hackers will first monitor a business’ payment processes in order to learn how to create a convincing looking invoice. Once this step is achieved they then send an invoice requesting payment for services rendered. The invoice can appear so authentic that company accounting departments release the requested funds without ever suspecting fraud, and they’re not small funds either. Cnbc.com, for example, recently reported about a small accounting firm in Brooklyn, New York that was scammed out of $700,000 in one year after receiving fake invoices for legal services. An assistant at the firm, who was in charge of releasing the funds for payments, paid the invoices without ever knowing they were fake.

**Brute Force Attacks** – One of the most popular types of hacks, are brute force attacks, which attempt to crack passwords or PINs in order to gain backend access to a website and obtain the sensitive information it holds. Any website with a password can be a target, and as the name suggests, this type of attack takes a ‘bulldozer’ type approach to guessing the passwords or PINs. While brute force attacks can take forever to uncover passwords and are not always successful if strong password security measures are in place, if passwords are weak, they can take a matter of seconds. And if successful, hackers gain illegal access to websites and the valuable information (e.g., credit card credentials) they hold. One of the largest and most well-known brute force attacks was the attack against GitHub which involved 40,000 separate hacker IP addresses.

**Identity theft** – Businesses, not just individuals, can have their identities stolen too. In fact, identity theft is big business for cyber identity thieves who steal and then use business identities to open credit card accounts, file fraudulent tax returns, obtain bank loans, initiate wire transfers, and more. The attacks have both reputational and financial consequences for businesses.

According to the 2018 Business Identity Theft Report by the National Cybersecurity Society, business identity theft cases have caused $137 million in damage with some of the most frequent targets of those attacks being businesses offering services in management consulting, accounting and bookkeeping, health, and construction.  A notable example of a business identity attack is the one in Tennessee where cyber criminals created fake websites that impersonated the identity of legitimate car dealerships so they could scam people into making deposits for automobiles that didn’t exist. Indeed the 250% increase in the number of fraudulent returns reported by the IRS has many businesses wisely taking their [identity theft protection](https://www.reasonsecurity.com/lp/best-privacy-protection-against-hackers) far more seriously today.

**Spoofing** – A particularly cunning cyber attack, spoofing emails are sent by cyber criminals who have spoofed the email address of a company executive. The emails that are sent are received by company employees and look just like the real deal. Never suspecting that the email is not really from the boss or some high-level executive, the employee innocently executes the request in the email which usually involves making a payment… to the cyber criminal of course. Austrian aerospace parts maker FACC, lost approximately 54 million Euros in such an attack after a hacker was able to successfully pose as the CEO of the company and convince an entry-level accounting employee to transfer the funds to an account for a fake project.

**Ransomware** – Still a favorite of many cybercriminals, ransomware is perhaps one of the most pervasive types of cyber attacks on businesses with attacks estimated to cost $6 trillion annually by 2021. That figure isn’t too hard to believe when you understand that the losses caused by the NotPetya ransomware alone could exceed $1 billion. For example, FedEx lost an estimated $300 million in just the first quarter of 2017 after falling victim to a NotPetya attack.

#### **Got your attention now?** 

Right about now, you’re probably wondering if and how SMBs can actually protect themselves from hackers, especially since there are so many potential vulnerabilities and different types of attacks. Well, we’re happy to report that there are highly effective cybersecurity measures that SMBs can implement to protect themselves. Here are some of the most important ones:

**Train your employees about security basics**. SMBs that take cybersecurity seriously have established security practices and policies in place for their employees to follow such as password protocols, rules for protecting customer information and other sensitive data, rules of response in case an attack is suspected, etc.

**Get a firewall**. Firewalls prevent unauthorized access to or from your network by acting like a shield between the Web and your company network.

**Install a strong antivirus**. Effective cybersecurity is nothing without a strong antivirus suite that provides browser security, tracking protection, and ransomware protection, in addition to anti-malware scanning, threat removal, and real-time protection. Other security features to consider in antivirus software are camera and microphone protection, a software blocker, and multi-device options.

**Regular backups**. Regularly backing up your data is also mission-critical. This includes data stored on the cloud. Backups should also be stored in a location that is separate from the business location in case of fire or flood.

**Verify vendor security**. Your vendors’ security controls should also be a priority, especially if they have access to a lot of your business data. Cyber attacks on supply chains are a growing and immeasurably damaging type of cyber attack, so knowing what your vendors’ security policies are, and how your data will be stored and accessed is another vital step in cybersecurity.

**Wi-Fi security**. Some companies use one WiFi for guests and personal devices and a separate one for secure company devices. Virtual private networks (VPNs) are another useful security solution and are used to secure remote access.

![](https://cms.reasonlabs.com/cdn/shutterstock_614640248-300x300.jpg)

**Response Plan**. While we hope that implementation of these security measures can prevent any type of attack, in reality, an attack is always possible. Consequently, security best practices include having an effective response plan in place. Such a plan should consider legal issues, how to inform customers, and finding out how the breach occurred among other elements.

#### **Don’t be one the 60 percent…**

A scary 60 percent of small companies go out of business within six months of a cyber attack. Don’t join that statistic. Cybersecurity requires constant vigilance to the latest threats. Implementing the measures stated above will help ensure that your business is not the next victim.

**Wishing you many treats and no tricks this Halloween.**