What is Solar Winds Hack?

News: The ‘Solar Winds hack’, a cyberattack discovered in the United States, has emerged as one of the biggest ever targeted against the US government.In fact, it is likely a global cyberattack.

Facts:

• SolarWinds Hack also called the Supply Chain attack is a cyberattack discovered in the United States.
• Instead of directly attacking the federal government or a private organisation’s network, the hackers target a third-party vendor which supplies software to them.

Additional Facts:

• Cyberattack: It is a malicious and deliberate attempt by an individual or organization to breach the information system of another individual or organization.
• Common types of cyber attacks
  • Malware: Malware (malicious software) refers to any kind of software that is designed to cause damage to a single computer, server or computer network.
  • Phishing: It is the practice of sending fraudulent communications that appear to come from a reputable source, usually through email.The goal is to steal sensitive data like credit card and login information or to install malware on the victim’s machine.
  • Zero-day exploit: A zero-day exploit hits after a network vulnerability is announced but before a patch or solution is implemented. Attackers target the disclosed vulnerability during this window of time.
  • Man-in-the-middle (MitM) attacks also known as eavesdropping attacks occur when attackers insert themselves into a two-party transaction. Once the attackers interrupt the traffic, they can filter and steal data.