4 Cybersecurity Industry Trends Business Owners Should Be Aware Of

In order to keep your business computers and sensitive data safe from attacks like ransomware, hacking and viruses, it is important to stay abreast of the current trends and latest ways cybercrooks will attempt to do their crimes.

With this in mind, let’s look at four cybersecurity industry trends, as well as tips for improving your company’s approach to this important topic.

COVID-19 and the Increase in Remote Workers

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many companies to require their employees work from home. While this solution makes sense on a variety of levels, it has caused an increase in cybersecurity risks related to home offices. Hackers know that a home work space is typically less protected than a central company office, where an IT department makes sure firewalls are up and running, anti-virus software is in place and two-factor authentication is happening.

Hackers Now Use AI and Machine Learning

The image you may have of some lone hacker working alone is no longer the way most cyberhacking takes place, McKinsey reports. It has morphed into a huge industry of its own, and criminals are using advanced tools like artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning and automation to do their dirty work. This advancement in cyberhacking technology means that attacks can now happen in a matter of hours instead of days or weeks, and by automating large portions of the crime it would mean an acceleration in attacks involving ransomware.

Information Platforms Like the Cloud Are More Often at Risk

To try to get to know their customers as well as possible, companies now collect more data than ever. As a business owner, you might do this too, gathering information about everything from how your customers prefer to handle financial transactions to how they want to communicate and more. To store, manage and protect this copious amount of data, many businesses rely on the cloud. As CNBC notes, cybercriminals are aware of the popularity of this type of information platform and attacks have focused on this growing data access.

Cybercrooks Target Firms With Cyber Insurance

In an effort to protect your company against cybersecurity attacks, you might have read about cyber insurance. While in theory this type of plan makes sense, Fortinet notes that some cybercriminals are actually targeting companies that have it because it increases the chances that the company will pay ransomware settlements. Cybercrooks will now scan public records and if your company is large enough that your budget is public record, they can see who has cyber insurance in place.

Fight Back in Multiple Ways

To protect your company from the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity crime, it is best to use a multi-layered approach. For example, investing in cybersecurity training is paramount, as this will ensure that every employee, whether remote or not, will be educated about techniques like phishing and other ways criminals will hack into and infect a system. 

If you have remote workers using their own computers at home, pay to have your company firewall and other sophisticated anti-virus and malware programs installed on their equipment. In addition, look into hiring a company like Fortinet that specializes in helping companies reduce their cybersecurity risks; this includes investing in a platform that uses multiple approaches to fight cybercrime.

Keep Up With the Trends to Reduce Your Risks

For a law-abiding citizen like yourself, it may feel odd at first to become so knowledgeable about current trends in cybersecurity. But to keep your company’s computers safe and your customers’ sensitive data free from the prying eyes of cybercrooks, it is important to be aware of how they operate, and then take the necessary steps to help prevent it from happening to your company.