When it comes to cybersecurity it’s vital that you plan for any eventuality. With 2020 almost over, businesses are already preparing for what cyber threats they’ll face in 2021. There are always new threats to look out for, but older threat strategies still pose a great risk too when it comes to the most frequent threats that businesses face.
Take a look at some of the top cyber security threats to look out for in 2021:
The Covid-19 pandemic has meant many more businesses have moved onto the cloud. This is great for moving businesses forward but it does come with the threat of new security breaches and if you’re not well versed in looking out for them, you may need to keep an extra eye out. However, if you set up security measures efficiently then it’s easy to avoid these breaches. The rise in businesses moving to the cloud means that there has been an increase in the need for strong security infrastructures. As long as you look to have one of these in place then you’re doing all that you can to stop threats or be flagged of breaches in your systems.
Ransomware attacks are not new and have been a threat to businesses for a long time. The pandemic has meant that these attacks are now much more common, predominantly because people are low on finances. These attacks are usually targeted towards banks as they hold so much data on their customers. However, smaller banks and financial organisations area main target of ransomware attacks as their security measures often aren’t as strong as larger institutions. If you’re a smaller financial organisation, you’ll want to make sure you have a plan in place in case this type of breach happens to you or your customers.
Lots of employees have now switched to working from home because of Covid-19 which has meant that a lot of people are using personal devices for work purposes. This is largely encouraged to minimize costs and allow the flexibility to work from home at this time, but organisations should ensure that they have taken all necessary precautions to protect their business and their employees from potential threats on personal devices.
Many breaches can come from actions of employees, although most are unknowingly doing so. Employees can become part of data leaks intentionally or unintentionally by using USB’s that download data or following suspicious links attached to emails. It’s on businesses to make sure all employees have the relevant training so they know what to do and what not to do in terms of data protection.
There’s a huge demand for professionals who are experienced in cybersecurity and often the need exceeds the number of professionals out there who have it. Businesses are having to invest in more training to up skill professionals within their organisations or put budget towards automated security tools and solutions.
The threats mentioned above are just some of the security breaches to look out for in the coming year, but they are very important ones to look out for and consider in your security strategy. As part of planning ahead you should think about doing some key things such as:
Cybersecurity issues can be daunting, especially for small businesses that don’t always have the manpower to monitor them 24/7 but investing in the right technology and solutions can make sure that you are safeguarded in some way.
Make sure you’re protected for incoming threats and have a talk with your team to come up with or review your 2021 plan.
