Starting an Online Business All-in-One For Dummies®, 3rd Edition

Chapter 3: Attacked! What to Expect from the Net-Thief

In This Chapter

• Shutting down your site
• Breaking through security barriers
• Spreading Internet illnesses
• Derailing your traffic
• No phishing allowed

An estimated two billion plus people use the Internet worldwide — and that number climbs daily. With so many people and businesses online, the Internet has ushered in a gold rush (of sorts) for cybercriminals, or what we refer to as the Net-thief. Estimates provided to the United States Congress showed that global losses from cyber-related crimes have hit the $1 trillion mark!

Given that figure, if you haven't been on the receiving end of an online security threat, consider yourself lucky. As an online business owner, your vulnerability to cyberattacks increases. Studies show that companies suffer from multiple security incidents per year from hackers, viruses, worms, spy-ware, and other malicious efforts. And, when companies are suffering from Internet-related attacks, they can lose an average of $2 million in revenue per attack.

That's why, as an online business owner, you need to minimize the opportunity for any type of security interference that threatens your success. Before you can defend yourself and your computer, though, you need to know what to expect. In this chapter, we review the security threats that are most likely to take a bite out of your business if you let your guard down.