For most companies, cybersecurity is now a strategic imperative. The corporate landscape is littered with stories of companies that were forced to pay large ransoms to hackers or received fines and sanctions because sensitive data was breached. If you don’t want to be tomorrow’s headline, then it’s best to stay abreast of the five 2022 cybersecurity trends we list below.
1. The Big Three Remain the Most Targeted
Healthcare, higher education, and finance – the Big Three – are still the industries most often targeted by cybercriminals. Although other sectors aren’t under the same level of attack as the Big Three, no company is immune, and you should safeguard your I.T. network no matter what.
2. Small Businesses Remain at Risk
Small businesses are particularly susceptible to cyberattacks because they often don’t have the tools and resources to adequately protect sensitive information. If you run a small business, make sure to invest in cybersecurity efforts – especially antivirus software – and educate your employees on the basics of how to can protect company data.
3. Cloud-Based Storage is Susceptible
Most companies use some form of cloud-based storage today, and cloud computing generated around $400 billion in revenue in 2021. Cloud-based systems are convenient, but because they’re Internet-based, they are prone to attack. If you rely on cloud-based systems, make sure your vendors have appropriate security measures in place and use storage solutions that include encryption.
4. Cybercriminals Targeting Those Working from Home
The work-from-home trend created by the global pandemic has created an easier and more lucrative path for attackers to launch ransomware. From 2019 to 2020, the U.S. experienced a 311% increase in victims, with a total payout of $350 million. What’s more, global ransomware attacks then nearly doubled in 2021 compared with 2020, increasing by 93%, according to the NCC Group’s 2021 Annual Threat Report.
5. Insider Threats on the Rise
Insider threats aren’t slowing down, according to the 2022 Cost of Insider Threats Global Report from Ponemon Institute. Since 2020, the cost of addressing an insider security problem has increased by 34%, from $11.45 million in 2020 to $15.38 million in 2022. The frequency of insider-led incidents is also up by 44% in 2022.
What You Can Do
If you are feeling vulnerable to a cyberattack, we offer eight things you can do right now to protect not only yourself, but also your data.
- Implement multi-factor authentication on your accounts.
- Update your software. In fact, turn on automatic updates.
- Think before you click. More than 90% of successful cyberattacks start with a phishing email.
- Use strong passwords, and ideally a password manager to generate and store unique passwords.
- Use a VPN when working remotely.
- Don’t use portable media – USB flash drives and external hard drives – that come from unknown sources.
- If storing documents and information online, use encryption.
- Secure your USB ports with USB port locks so that bad actors can’t infect your laptop or computer with malware, ransomware, or viruses; or steal sensitive data.
