In today’s modern business world, cybersecurity isn’t something you should take lightly. Hackers innovate and consistently devise new methods or techniques to fool your company’s defenses.
The only thing you can do is to observe, keep track of everything, and adopt the newest or most advanced technologies to protect your business and data. Having a recovery plan in place may also come in handy to avoid business disruptions. Suppose your business becomes a victim of a cyberattack. In that case, solutions similar to Rubrik’s Mass Recovery allow you to restore your business operations quickly by recovering files, apps, and other data at scale.
To help you protect your company data, here are the cybersecurity threats your business must watch out for in 2022:
1. Social Engineering Attacks
Unlike other cyber threats, social engineering attacks rely on social or human interaction, not only bots entering a computing system via the Internet. Since human errors are common, social engineering can be your business’s biggest cybersecurity risk.
The reason behind it is that data breaches occur due to people unknowingly engaging with social engineering attacks. Such things happen when hackers trick somebody into giving them access to data or other valuable information. Hackers also try to manipulate employees into breaking security procedures.
You can protect your business against social engineering attacks with regular training. Employee training on cybersecurity is crucial for companies to have policies in place when dealing with sensitive data. For instance, you can create a rule restricting employees from sharing business accounts online. If they forget their passwords, they must call a co-worker for assistance rather than emailing account details.
2. Malware
When it comes to cybersecurity threats, malware is a broad term. It’s a malicious form of software developed to cause harm to any computer system. Once it enters a computer, the malware performs various functions, such as deleting, stealing, or encrypting data. It may also hijack the system’s core computing functions and monitor the users’ activities without their knowledge.
Some of the common malware includes spyware, viruses, worms, and Trojan horses. They’re often distributed through Internet downloads, physical hard drives, and other external drives.
3. Credential Stuffing
Another cybersecurity threat your company must watch out for is credential stuffing. It works by obtaining credentials through a data breach. The reason it’s effective is that most people reuse the same combination of passwords and usernames across various websites. Once it continues, credential stuffing can seriously threaten your business.
4. Ransomware
Ransomware is another common cyber threat for businesses. It happens when hackers infiltrate the computer system, steal data, and demand a ransom. The increase in ransomware attacks has led countless organizations to evaluate their cyber risk control and implement better strategies against data loss.
To combat ransomware, there are some things you should consider, which include the following:
. Catch The Attacker Before It’s Too Late
Some attackers may take several months to gather sensitive data before they demand a ransom. Hiring a specialized cybersecurity service provider that can keep track of your system and alert you to suspicious activities can make a difference in avoiding devastating financial loss.
Constant monitoring by experts who are aware of attackers’ tactics may mean an extra expense, but it’s an essential investment to keep your business protected from ransomware. Besides, catching attackers early can help you mitigate the effects of a data breach, preventing them from stealing sensitive data and asking for a hefty ransom.
.Prevent Attackers From Gaining Network Access
Another reliable way to discover your company’s cybersecurity vulnerabilities is by investing in cybersecurity assessment services. Professionals will evaluate your current security tools and recommend better technology to protect you from possible cyberattacks.
5. Phishing
It’s a common cyber threat that tricks you into giving out confidential information or downloading malware to steal your data. You may quickly recognize phishing emails because they often include bad grammar, spelling errors, and typos. Aside from targeting your personal information, some attackers will request you to transfer money to another bank.
An excellent way to protect your business from phishing is to learn how to spot one. Most phishing schemes offer millions of dollars just by clicking their links or downloading attachments. When you encounter one of these, don’t download the attachment and avoid clicking on the links.
6. Remote Work Attacks
Within your office’s setup, anyone can quickly mitigate the common cyber threats through stringent policies, employee awareness, and a firewall. However, implementing cybersecurity measures can be challenging if some of your employees work remotely. It’s because some employees have bad cybersecurity habits when working from home.
Such habits may include using public or unsafe networks and personal devices. Implementing cybersecurity measures, such as anti-virus, anti-phishing tools, regular employee education, and virtual private network (VPNs), may help mitigate the risk to a great extent.
7. Insider Threats
Another common cybersecurity threat is insider threats. These attacks happen when employees or contractors steal sensitive data from their employers or pass such pieces of information to their major competitors. To keep your business safe against such threats, you must always check the backgrounds of your contractors and employees.
Ensure they don’t have criminal records and don’t belong to hacking groups and some criminal organizations. If possible, check their social media accounts regularly for signs of any inappropriate behavior, like boasting about their illicit activities.
Disgruntled former employees can also be a culprit of insider attacks. To prevent this, deactivate their access to your company’s devices and network as soon as they leave.
8. Cloud Threats
Due to the benefits of cloud computing, many businesses decide to switch and move their infrastructure to the cloud. Unfortunately, cloud migration may result in security gaps when planned improperly.
Typically, cloud threats exploit poor security practices and weak configurations. Such allows cyber criminals to compromise cloud-based assets when security tools are layered over them. Furthermore, many companies also leverage multiple cloud platforms to run their workloads, increasing the threat exposure.
Wrapping Up
The cyber threat landscape is broad. Attackers constantly develop new techniques, and new vulnerabilities may emerge every day.
However, by being aware of the cyber threats your business should watch out for, you can think of the best possible ways to improve your current cybersecurity solution against them. An enhanced and well-planned cybersecurity strategy can also go a long way in protecting your business from the above threats, as well as staying safe for many years to come.
