BotNet News

Whether you’re reading about the latest data-breach headline or analyzing an incident in your own business, it helps to understand the different types of cyberattacks. From malware to phishing, hackers have numerous tools at their disposal to steal, corrupt, or otherwise damage your data and systems. And it’s not just about stealing confidential information for financial gain; state-sponsored attacks, known as APTs, seek to gain military or strategic advantage by targeting a country’s IT and operational technology infrastructure.

APTs and DDoS attacks can disrupt critical services and cause monetary losses for businesses. They can also hurt brand reputation and reduce customer trust. Other attacks, such as spoofing and phishing, are meant to trick users into handing over their sensitive personal or financial information to scammers. Business email compromise and ransomware are among the most financially damaging online crimes, while doxing is one of the biggest threats to journalist safety.

Newsrooms must also consider digital security concerns posed by the very platforms they use for their work, including threats to privacy, transparency, and trust. These include concerns about the security of software vulnerabilities, as well as the use of platform surveillance by governments and third parties. For example, a recently disclosed vulnerability in Motex Lanscope Endpoint Manager was being abused by the threat actor group Tick (aka Bronze Butler, Daserf, REDBALDKNIGHT, Stalker Panda, and Swirl Typhoon), to drop a backdoor on compromised systems.

Additionally, the nature of journalism as an incredibly public-facing and accessible occupation makes it especially susceptible to cyberattacks that aim to remove journalists from their platforms, or simply make them harder to find online. These efforts are at odds with newsrooms’ goals around audience engagement and inclusion.