Even the Vatican Is Vulnerable to Cyberattack
You’ve heard it before: no one is immune from cyberattacks. Doubt that statement? The Vatican suffered an attack that prompted it to take its websites offline. Yes, even the Holy See can suffer a Denial of Service (DDoS attack).rnrnThe November 30, 2022 attack affected the official Vatican.va website. Several other Vatican sites were also inaccessible for hours.rnrnThe suspected hack came a day after Pope Francis condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. In an interview, he singled out particular troops for their "cruelty" during the war.rnrnYou may think your business is not doing anything to provoke Russian cyber response, but that’s not the only way you become vulnerable to cyberattack.rn
Know your vulnerabilities online
rnA vulnerability is a point of weakness cyber bad guys exploit to access your systems. They can use these shortcomings to cause damage and undermine data privacy. Common vulnerabilities include:rn- rn
- firewall weakness rn
- operating system flaws rn
- network misconfigurations rn
- unpatched software rn
- weak access credentials rn
- unencrypted information rn
Causes of vulnerabilities
rnThere are many reasons for IT vulnerabilities. That’s one of the big challenges of cybersecurity. As your business enters 2023, take the time to look for symptoms such as:rn- rn
- complex systems which make misconfigurations and flaws more likely. rn
- unsecured operating systems which risk viruses and malware. rn
- poor password management with employees using weak passwords or reusing access credentials. rn
- connectivity sprawl – each device and other connected endpoint expand your attack surface. rn
- assuming user input is safe, which can lead to unintended consequences –instead, set up your systems to verify before access. rn