Over the years, cyber criminals have gotten more sophisticated. Attacks are happening more often, and the consequences of a breach are getting more severe. Given this, it’s incumbent upon individuals and businesses to take a pro-active approach to spotting and preventing attacks before they occur.
Cyberattacks are on the rise
While the nature of the threat has changed over time, so too has the scale. In 2021, cyberattacks rose by roughly 50%, year on year. If this trend continues, then, thanks to compounding, we’ll see an exponential rise in attacks: of around 13,500% in just a decade.
Why is preparedness important?
It’s much easier to prevent a problem from developing in the first place than it is to react to a breach after it’s occurred.
Attacks can come from just about anywhere since there’s no such thing as an entirely closed system. Even if your network isn’t connected to the internet, you might find that attackers can physically get into your premises or get malware onto a thumb drive which might find its way into a closed system.
Even apparently benign peripherals can pose a threat. Even HDMI and DVI cables are vulnerable to being hacked, therefore it is vital they’re secure and of the best quality.
With all of that said, it’s worth paying more attention to the more common and potentially damaging kinds of breach, even if that means paying less attention to the more exotic and rare varieties.
Biggest threats to emerge in 2022
Five threats in particular stand out in 2022. These are:
Social Engineering
This method of attack is more difficult to protect against, because it involves tricking fallible human beings into participating, unwittingly, in a data breach. Cryptocurrency-related messaging tends to be particularly popular among attackers.
Malware and Ransomware
Ransomware is a form of malware that either locks or threatens to delete sensitive data until a ransom has been paid.
Configuration Mistakes
If your security system isn’t properly set up, then vulnerabilities may result. If a hacker identifies a way in which the software is misconfigured, then they might be able to devise a potential exploit.
Poor Cyber Hygiene
When human beings lack the habits necessary to deter cybercrime, then they can be said to have poor ‘cyber hygiene’. Examples might include writing weak passwords down on sticky notes or failing to use multi-factor authentication. This is a problem that’s best solved by training.
Poor Data Management
If your data is improperly handled, then you’ll find it more difficult to keep it safe. The problem is that we’re now storing data in a quantity that’s difficult to properly manage. Data that’s mistakenly sent to the wrong email address, for example, might end up being enormously damaging – especially if it’s being sent in significant quantities.
