Executive Summary Salt Typhoon, a Chinese state-sponsored hacking group, has emerged as one of the most significant cyber threats to U.S. critical infrastructure. Initially identified in 2020, with increased recognition of their activities in 2021, the group has been linked to high-profile cyber espionage campaigns targeting U.S. telecommunications companies.

We witness a sharp surge in website security risks, as highlighted in the latest State of Application Security 2023 Annual Report. AppTrana WAAP blocked over 6 billion attacks across 1400+ websites under its protection. Every website is at risk, regardless of whether it is a simple blog, a portfolio showcase, a small cupcake business, or a dynamic e-commerce platform. Why would someone hack my website? How do hackers check if my website is hackable? How do websites get hacked?

For security leaders, staying vigilant and prepared is like wielding a well-crafted spellbook. OWASP, MITRE ATT&CK, and threat research are the critical chapters in this spellbook that leaders need to leverage to anticipate and counter emerging threats effectively, because you can’t afford for your organization to be ensnared by threats that could have been foreseen.

When we’re away from the security of our homes and workplaces, we will often let our guard down when we’re surfing online. Whether relaxing in your favorite coffee shop, or living the dream at your favorite vacation spot, the last thing on your mind is getting hacked. But this is when a Wi-Fi hacker can achieve the most success because despite the risks of public Wi-Fi, 81% will happily connect to it, and 99% will connect without a VPN.

Hacktivism – the practice of carrying out cyberattacks to advance political or social goals – is not new. Hacktivist attacks go as far back as the 1980s. Yet today’s hacktivists often look and operate in ways that are markedly different from their predecessors. They’ve embraced new techniques, they often have more resources at their disposal and they can prove more challenging to stop.

The latest trend in cybercrime is that attackers don't really focus on “hacking” in; they’re logging in. We see this now in the wild, driven by organized criminal groups like Scattered Spider and BlackCat, who’ve reemerged with a renewed focus on gaining access through legitimate means, often exploiting help desks and social engineering tactics.

Yes, Two-Factor Authentication (2FA) can stop hackers from accessing your accounts, but it’s not entirely foolproof and some forms of 2FA are stronger than others. 2FA is a type of Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) that requires two authentication factors. With 2FA, you will need your username, password and another authentication method before you can access an online account.

A black hat hacker is a cybercriminal who accesses your computer systems and network without your knowledge to steal data, disrupt systems and extort money. Black hat hackers try to take advantage of an organization’s security vulnerabilities to gain unauthorized access to software, systems and networks. Once they gain access to an organization’s data, black hat hackers may hold the data for ransom or sell it to other businesses or cybercriminals.