Business owners and employees are becoming increasingly on edge about the growing threat of cyberattacks, and with good reason – with the expansion of technological capabilities that facilitate our work and play, comes the higher number of malicious attacks against us that threaten to disrupt – or even destroy – our financial security and peace of mind. Everybody is a target, but not everybody has to be a victim. There are measures that can be taken to significantly bolster your fight against cyber criminals, and awareness tops the list. 

Here are ten reasons why your business will be hacked. 

  1. Deepfakes are an ever-growing source of disruption and threaten to cause increased mayhem in the year ahead. Artificial Intelligence (AI) can be used to produce fake video and audio recordings using people’s images and voices. To the casual observer, there is no way to tell fact from fiction. 
  2. Ransomware is becoming more complex and is capable of reaching farther corners. Predictions indicate that big businesses will be targeted more frequently this year. 
  3. Smartphones and handheld devices will be targeted more aggressively this year, as well, since certain security measures are not applicable on mobile devices. 
  4. With more business people working remotely, there is an increased chance that employees could inadvertently work on an unsecure platform. Team members must be trained specifically in cybersecurity best practices. 
  5. Supply chain attacks, which involve the insertion of code into websites by cyber criminals, thus allowing them access to sensitive data including credit card information, are increasing. Business owners will have to be on guard and vigilant in identifying such attacks. 
  6. Cyber criminals are aware that the cloud is a less secure place for sensitive data, and will undoubtedly use that to their advantage. Businesses have to ask their security teams if they have the latest tools and technology to respond in the event of a security crime on the cloud. 
  7. Phishing will continue to be an effective mode of security-breaching. Because of new technology that better predicts consumer behavior, attractive and increasingly believable lures and landing pages will open many doors for hackers. 
  8. Windows recently ended support for Windows 7, meaning that those businesses that lack support will be at a greater risk, since Microsoft will no longer automatically patch and update the OS. Business leaders should take measures to ensure that their company has support.
  9. Human resources are a risk. The potential havoc caused by employees with the ability to become inside attackers, is profound. It is important for employers to be aware of the human factor in cyber security.
  10. Companies tend to grant data access to too many employees. To reduce risks, companies should operate on a hierarchy, providing varying degrees of data access according to that system. 

Threats to your business’s cybersecurity will not disappear, but your heightened awareness and increased vigilance will be your greatest weapons against cyber crimes. 

 

Want to protect your business? Contact us TODAY!