A Comprehensive Review of Cyber Security Vulnerabilities, Threats, Attacks, and Solutions

Abstract

Internet usage has grown exponentially, with individuals and companies performing multiple daily transactions in cyberspace rather than in the real world. The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated this process. As a result of the widespread usage of the digital environment, traditional crimes have also shifted to the digital space. Emerging technologies such as cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), social media, wireless communication, and cryptocurrencies are raising security concerns in cyberspace. Recently, cyber criminals have started to use cyber attacks as a service to automate attacks and leverage their impact. Attackers exploit vulnerabilities that exist in hardware, software, and communication layers. Various types of cyber attacks include distributed denial of service (DDoS), phishing, man-in-the-middle, password, remote, privilege escalation, and malware. Due to new-generation attacks and evasion techniques, traditional protection systems such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems, antivirus software, access control lists, etc., are no longer effective in detecting these sophisticated attacks. Therefore, there is an urgent need to find innovative and more feasible solutions to prevent cyber attacks. The paper first extensively explains the main reasons for cyber attacks. Then, it reviews the most recent attacks, attack patterns, and detection techniques. Thirdly, the article discusses contemporary technical and nontechnical solutions for recognizing attacks in advance. Using trending technologies such as machine learning, deep learning, cloud platforms, big data, and blockchain can be a promising solution for current and future cyber attacks. These technological solutions may assist in detecting malware, intrusion detection, spam identification, DNS attack classification, fraud detection, recognizing hidden channels, and distinguishing advanced persistent threats. However, some promising solutions, especially machine learning and deep learning, are not resistant to evasion techniques, which must be considered when proposing solutions against intelligent cyber attacks.

Cybersecurity threats and vulnerabilities experienced by small-scale African migrant traders in Southern Africa

“…Virus/malware protection: In addition, this study suggests virus/malware protection based on the findings. Viruses are software programmes that are normally created by cybercriminals to infect vulnerable mobile devices and computers (Aslan et al 2023 ). Other malware such as Trojans can access a mobile device by hiding in a programme as a screen saver (Fuentes 2020 ).…”

“…Other malware such as Trojans can access a mobile device by hiding in a programme as a screen saver (Fuentes 2020 ). They are destructive and can erase a device’s software programme (Aslan et al 2023 ). In order to protect the owner’s information, mobile devices need to be protected by an anti-virus programme that is regularly updated.…”

Investigating the multifaceted dynamics of cybersecurity practices and their impact on the quality of e-government services: evidence from the KSA

“…Cybersecurity practices significantly impact the quality of e-government services in Saudi Arabia. A robust cybersecurity framework is crucial for safeguarding sensitive data, maintaining service availability and preventing disruptions caused by cyber threats (Aslan et al, 2023;Renaud and Ophoff, 2021). Inadequate cybersecurity can lead to service downtime, data breaches and compromised user trust, reducing the quality of e-government services (Shah et al, 2022).…”

“…A robust infrastructure, including redundancy and disaster recovery measures, maintains uninterrupted service delivery and facilitates rapid response to security incidents (Adeodato and Pournouri, 2020; Alhawamleh, 2023; Pan et al , 2021). It supports the implementation of cybersecurity tools and solutions, such as firewalls, intrusion detection systems and encryption protocols, which safeguard sensitive data and prevent unauthorized access (AL-Hawamleh, 2023; Aslan et al , 2023).…”

Assessment of existing cyber-attack detection models for web-based systems

“…The system gets infected just by users visiting specific websites [43], [44], [45]. Attackers are known to use valid websites and injecting malware into them which may include links, iFrames, JavaScript codes, cross site scripts and redirects [46]. Malicious code is injected into the browser when users visit infected pages, which then scans the system for vulnerabilities [47], [48].…”