More and more cybercriminals are launching watering hole attacks to gain access to company networks. But what exactly is a watering hole attack, and how can you protect yourself from it? Read on to learn how.
How watering hole attacks work
The term “watering hole” colloquially refers to a social gathering place where a particular group of people often go to.

As more and more businesses move their operations online, the need for robust cybersecurity measures has never been greater. However, many employees are still unfamiliar with many cybersecurity terms. Here are some of the most commonly used terms in IT security.

Cybercriminals are getting more creative in infecting computers with malware, and users must step up in order to protect their devices. To stay one step ahead of cybercriminals, you should learn more about their more insidious tricks such as watering hole attacks.

Cyberattacks come in many different forms, with new methods being developed all the time. What’s bad is that personal information is now often stored online, be it through social media or through government and healthcare services — and these are juicy targets for criminals.

Do you spend hours obsessing about the inner workings of DNS-layer security, intrusion prevention systems, and data encryption? If you’re not a managed IT services provider (MSP), you probably don’t. Instead, you’re probably looking for a business partner to manage those nitty-gritty details for you.

Hackers have plenty of ways to breach your systems. They can use complex programs to exploit software bugs, send emails to dupe you into downloading malware, or insert a malware-infected USB drive directly into your computer. However, another increasingly popular hacking method is a watering hole attack.

There has been a movement among technology providers to promise “proactive” cyber security consulting. Small- and medium-sized businesses love the idea of preventing cyber-attacks and data breaches before they happen, and service providers would much rather brainstorm safeguards than troubleshoot time-sensitive downtime events.