22 Apr Top Cyber Threats Targeting Nonprofits & How to Defend Against Them
Cybersecurity is still an important issue for non-profit organizations. Cyber threats are numerous, evolving on a daily basis, so it is crucial to maintain a competent cybersecurity policy to protect your data.
Now, you might think that as a nonprofit, you’re on the low end of potential targets. But if you store data, whether that’s personal information, customer info, or otherwise valuable metrics, you are a target. For example, threat actors utilize ransomware tactics in hopes to make a speedy profit. In fact, ransomware is one of the top threats your nonprofit organization needs to be aware of.
Top Cyber Threats and Protecting Your Data
First, it’s critical to dispel the dangerous idea you’re not a potential target for hackers as a nonprofit. If the data is valuable to you, it’s valuable to them. Therefore, malicious third-parties will unleash a dangerous arsenal to achieve their goals. In fact, the nonprofit is an ideal target for hackers, given they lack the capital and resources to establish broad, comprehensive cybersecurity defenses.
The good news is, however, you don’t need a large team of IT and cybersecurity specialists to ward off potential attacks. Good cybersecurity comes down to common sense and procedure while taking advantage of backup options.
Top Threat #1: Phishing and Social Engineering
Phishing and social engineering remain one of the top threats facing people today. Whether on an individual or company basis, phishing is one of the primary culprits behind breach incidents. That is because phishing preys on human error. Human error can compromise even the most robust of cybersecurity systems.
Phishing schemes are fraudulent messages sent by threat actors with the goal of stealing credentials or valuable information. They are also used for financial scams. Phishing schemes achieve success by impersonating trusted staff, friends, or even family. For instance: you receive an “email” from an IT staff member asking for password credentials. A user may not recognize this as a threat and pass along their login info, giving the hacker access to sensitive parts of the nonprofit network.
Defending against this requires validation and extra caution. Never give out passwords or sensitive user info to anyone. Offer compliance training to help recognize the signs of phishing. A good rule of thumb is to use secondary verification if you aren’t sure about the validity of a message.
Top Threat #2: Ransomware
Ransomware is another major threat facing IT infrastructure. Often, it’s right on the heels of phishing, as social engineering campaigns are the foundation to ransomware attacks.
Ransomware is a type of malware that targets and encrypts system data. Once a system is infected, the malicious third-parties demand payment from the victim, usually in the form of cryptocurrency.
Ransomware in particular is dangerous, because once a system is effected, there are few options to resolve it, if at all. More so, ransomware gangs use aggressive methods to collect payment, threatening to publish the encrypted data. Normally said data contains valuable personal information and consumer metrics.
Once again, the best defense against ransomware is proactivity and critical guessing. Don’t give out personal information and invest in backup service options where possible in case of extended downtime.
Top Threat #3: Malware
Virus attacks still remain one of the biggest threats facing your nonprofit organization. Any viral intrusion can compromise a system or server, rendering it useless and causing expensive downtime. For nonprofits, this is especially dangerous.
The good news, however, is malware can be defended against with anti-virus software, advanced firewalls, and basic network monitoring. Furthermore, low risk, safe browsing habits by staff mitigate the possibility of malware infection(s). Safe browsing habits, for instance, include avoiding malicious links, websites, and unknown software potentially leading to malware intrusions.
Malware covers a broad category. Ransomware, as mentioned, is a type of malware. However, adware, spyware, and trojans are additional examples. Ensure that all systems related to your nonprofit’s IT infrastructure possess anti-malware capabilities.
Top Threat #4: DDoS
Denial of service or “direct denial of service” attacks can completely disrupt infrastructure and IT capabilities. In essence, DoS attacks take aim at a company’s server system and overwhelm it with traffic. This traffic disrupts access to websites and normal system behaviors until the problem is resolved. DDoS covers several types, from common “HTTP flood” tactics to “UDP floods.” The general idea is the same, however: overwhelm the target(s) with activity and/or packet requests.
Proactive network monitoring can help protect against DDoS attacks. Furthermore, expanding backup options, when possible, reduces downtime and mitigates damage caused by DDoS-style attacks.
What else can I do?
Your nonprofit organization may lack critical cybersecurity and IT resources to protect itself from the top threats we’ve discussed. However, if you’re concerned you will be the next big data target, there are a few things you can do. The first is to establish safe practices and competency training for staff.
The next is investing in affordable third-party resources, such as an MSP. A managed service provider possesses the infrastructure necessary to protect, restore, and monitor IT systems. MSP’s draw from a range of experts, providing remote (or local) support during red-flag scenarios.
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