With the shift to most organizations having their employees work from home in 2020, the world continues to rely more and more on technology. However, the need to address threats to cybersecurity becomes increasingly important because of this rising demand and reliance on technology in our lives.
With 64% of organizations already having experienced web-based attacks in 2020, here are the top 3 cybersecurity threats to be aware of in 2021:
Phishing
Phishing occurs when a hacker tricks someone into providing sensitive information or accessing malware by using a false identity. This can happen through email, social media accounts and more.
For example, have you ever received a suspicious looking email in your inbox that asked for some sort of personal information credentials from you? However, the email was littered with spelling and grammar mistakes, improper use of language, and overall just had information that looked out of place?
Usually there would be a link they urged you to click and enter the information they’ve asked of you. This phishing tactic is common because people can easily fall for this scam. Phishing hackers will often create their false identity by impersonating a credible source to email you. As such, this threat is one of the major sources of cyber security systems being breached.
Malware and Ransomware
Malware and ransomware can lead to hijacked software, frozen systems, and lost and stolen data. Businesses often keep data on servers that are connected to the internet, and all it takes is one crack in a company’s cybersecurity for hackers to attack and access that data.
Hackers also gain access to company cybersecurity systems through malware and ransomware through other methods such as phishing, employees downloading links that contain viruses from suspicious sources, and having weak firewall and security measures.
Without proper cybersecurity protection your company can be at risk for cyber liabilities that not only compromise your company’s vital information, but can affect others as well such as your clients’ security and information.
Database Exposure:
Customer contact information, financial records and identity records are all susceptible to hacking and theft when servers aren’t properly protected. As malware and ransomware attacks can lead to vital information being stolen by hackers and used illegally.
When both your own company’s and clients’ confidential information gets stolen by hackers, it can not only hurt your business financially, but also break the trust between your business and your clients. You can be held professionally liable in extreme cases as well.
Think about it like this: How can your clients trust you in the future when they’ve entrusted you and your business with their confidential information, but now it’s been lost to hackers who may use the information for illegal means? They will most likely be less willing to continue working with your business in the future because your cybersecurity systems are not properly protected.
Cyber Assessments:
With the increased usage of technology in people’s lives to stay connected while mostly working from home, cybersecurity threats have also become a growing issue and require proper assessments to manage any security gaps and risks that can harm your business.
Therefore, it’s important to conduct proper cyber assessments to mitigate the possibility of having your company’s cybersecurity system breached.
Get a FREE Cyber Risk Assessment to see if you're properly protecting your business from cyber risks:
