It is time to embrace the new year and everything that comes with it: fireworks, toasts, resolutions … and digital transformation. If you returned to the office after the holidays, you probably found yourself not thinking about cyber trends, digital transformation or the immediate vulnerabilities facing your business. This strategy has never done anyone much good, however. Instead, you want to prepare for what we anticipate seeing throughout 2022 and know how you can take steps right now to start protecting your company.
Here are the cyber trends that we expect to see in 2022.
More Cloud-Based Services
With more businesses undergoing digital transformation and working remotely, the demand for cloud isn’t going away. Cloud systems have become increasingly popular across nearly every industry because of the convenience, security and scalability they offer. Business owners need to be vigilant about how they integrate the systems and the potential threats they pose. Software as a Service (SaaS) applications and any programs hosted through the cloud can have potential vulnerabilities that criminals love to exploit. These are mostly avoidable through basic security measures.
Consider what happened to Kronos, the HR management platform. Kronos is one of the largest cloud computing companies, specializing in workforce and human capital management. Users rely on the applications to check the status of their pay, request paid leave and view rotas, among other things. The organization was hit with a ransomware attack in December 2021, that rendered the system inaccessible and left thousands of workers without paychecks right before the Christmas holidays.
Although these types of web-based applications can have various vulnerabilities, the biggest threat lies in mismanagement. Cloud applications are not inherently insecure, rather it’s when they are not properly installed and maintained that they pose the greatest threat to the companies that depend upon them. Criminals love to target these types of applications because often they are not appropriately protected and, if they are successful in infiltrating the program, the hackers can often gain access to a lot of sensitive information from after several companies at once.
Protect yourself from cloud-based scams
To avoid potential problems with these types of applications, you need to conduct a risk assessment. Understanding the level of security offered by any third-party software before including it in the company infrastructure can make an enormous difference.
If you want to improve your cybersecurity posture, Deerwood Technologies can help you do a thorough risk assessment. Find your potential vulnerabilities and uncover ways to better protect yourself with your third-party cloud applications.
Increased Focus on Remote Work Security
The pandemic has caused tremendous changes in how people work, with many becoming accustomed to working from home and even investing in their home offices. We will likely not see a full return to the office in the near future.
While this has been widely embraced by many, it has also attracted the attention of cybercriminals. As employees work from home and access business networks from personal devices, they have created significantly more potential entry points for hackers and criminals. Each of the devices people use from home brings its vulnerabilities.
As we move forward with remote work, there will likely be an increase in intelligent devices that connect to the business IT infrastructure. Shadow IT, or the use of IT without the business’ IT department knowing about it, also remains a pressing problem.
Protect yourself while working remotely
Fortunately, you can employ strategies to keep your team safe while taking advantage of the benefits of remote work. Having the right equipment creates the foundation. You need to make sure your team members have the right software and hardware they need to keep your business data safe.
Deerwood Technologies can help you audit your team and uncover the strategies you need to know to secure your team and your information.
Social Engineering Scams
Humans are capable of incredible feats, but they are also susceptible to falling victim to social engineering schemes, and that can be devastating for businesses. According to Gartner, an incredible 85% of data breaches involve a human element, and this weakness cannot be whisked away with any type of security procedure. If a person is duped into revealing critical information, the criminal can find a way around security measures.
Many people fail to recognize the role their own actions can have in the overall cybersecurity success or failure of an organization. They are inclined to click on things like that too-good-to-be-true email.
Protect yourself from social engineering scams
The only way to combat this breach source lies in providing your team with excellent cybersecurity awareness training. They need to understand how their behaviors impact your business’ cybersecurity and what they should and should not do online. Deerwood Technologies provides the training you need to help your team better protect your organization.
Ransomware Is Still a Threat
In 2018, the typical fee for a ransomware attack was a mere $5,000. By 2020, that number skyrocketed to $200,000. Through poorly secured remote-access protocols and other common attack vectors, these ransomware attacks have become incredibly profitable for criminals, and we are going to need to continue to prepare for them moving forward.
It is important to note that when it comes to ransomware, the ransom itself comprises only a small portion of the cost to the company. The total cost can be 10 times what the business had to pay to the criminals when you take into account other sources of loss, including the loss of consumer trust.
Additionally, only about 1 in 10 companies that bend to the demands of the criminals and pay the ransom even get their data back. Businesses need to put effort and resources towards predicting and anticipating risks, rather than just responding to detected threats when they occur.
Protect yourself from ransomware
Deerwood Technologies provides businesses with personalized strategies that can offer greater business security. Learn what you can do to better protect yourself from these ransomware threats and how you can better equip your security to stop them before they start.
Giving Cybersecurity a Seat at the Table
As you prepare to move forward into the rest of 2022, you need to take a minute and look back. Pay attention to what has occurred over the last few years, particularly the major breaches that have threatened businesses, livelihoods, and personal security. We have seen the increase in recognition and investment in cybersecurity solutions and strategies and want this trend to keep moving forward.
You need to create a multilayered security approach that plays a protective role in preventing attacks and also comprises a response strategy for attacks and attempted breaches.
You need to make sure you have properly budgeted for cybersecurity. It is an investment in your future.
Deerwood Technologies has you covered and will help you plan wisely moving forward. Contact us today to talk about your cybersecurity and what you can do to protect your business.