Question Tag: Website Security

Types of Cyber-Attacks That Might Cause Website Shutdown

1. Identity Theft:
   This occurs when an imposter obtains key pieces of employees’ identity information in order to impersonate them. The information could then be used to obtain credit, merchandise, or services in the name of the victims. The company may shut down the website upon detection of such activity to take the necessary corrective actions.
2. Hacking:
   This is unauthorized access to information on the company’s website. Hackers might monitor employees’ emails or file transfers to extract passwords or steal files or information for their personal use.
3. Phishing:
   Phishing involves an individual attempting to obtain secured and sensitive information from users of the company’s website for malicious personal use. When such activity is detected, the website may be shut down for the necessary corrective measures and devices to be installed to prevent similar attacks in the future.
4. Electronic Spamming (Spams):
   This involves the sending of unsolicited messages to the company’s email users. Spamming can cause data jams and potentially trigger a shutdown if the website has been programmed to do so as a protective measure. Spams may contain executable files that can cause damage to the company’s website.
5. Virus or Worms:
   A virus is a computer program that replicates and transfers itself to other computer programs, causing destruction to the programs and files in the company’s website. Worms are parasitic programs that operate unaided, replicating and spreading themselves with the goal of consuming resources and causing system failures. Both can lead to a website shutdown.
6. Denial of Service (DoS) Attack:
   This type of attack floods the company’s website with an overwhelming amount of traffic, making it inaccessible to legitimate users. The overload can cause the server to crash, resulting in a shutdown of the website.
7. SQL Injection:
   This attack targets the company’s website database, allowing attackers to execute malicious SQL statements. This can lead to unauthorized access to data, data breaches, and potentially shutting down the website to prevent further damage.

(7 points @ 1.43 marks each = 10 marks)