As business and society rely increasingly on technology, the data being created and processed is increasing exponentially. With information effectively becoming the fuel that drives modern organizations, it has become a valuable commodity. Every day organizations face an increasing number of cyber attacks as criminals target their infrastructure and data. Not only are these attacks increasing in frequency, but they are also growing in sophistication. Hackers are finding new and innovative ways to infiltrate networks, compromise systems, and steal data every day. Taking all these factors into account, do you believe your staff is ready for the next cyber attack?
Defending Against Modern Cyber Attacks is Challenging
In today’s digitally-driven world, cybersecurity is growing more complex, cyber attacks are on the increase, and attackers are becoming more sophisticated. Here’s how each of these factors are presenting risks to your organization.
Complexity Introduces Risk
The evolution of technology has helped organizations increase their productivity and efficiency. It has also increased the complexity businesses face when trying to manage it. This complexity increases your cybersecurity risk as there are many more attack vectors hackers can leverage to compromise your systems.
Cyber Attacks Are Increasing in Frequency
According to ISACA’s 2018 State of Cybersecurity findings, more than 50% of security leaders surveyed have seen an increase in cyber attack volumes when compared to the previous year. ISACA’s study also found that 80% of respondents said they are likely or very likely to be attacked this year. These statistics show that organizations are under constant cyber attack. They must remain vigilant and put measures in place to defend themselves.
Attacks Are Growing in Sophistication
As software vendors and cybersecurity professionals patch software and find new ways to fend off attacks, hackers evolve and continue to find new and innovative ways to compromise systems. This continuous evolution has many organizations rating cybersecurity risk as their biggest technology concern.
How to Equip Your Employees
Many argue that your employees are the weakest link in the security chain. The 2018 Cyberwar and the future of Cybersecurity Report confirmed this with 44% of respondents ranking end users as their company's weakest security link. However, with the right training and support, your staff could be the first line of defense against a sophisticated cyber attack.
Implement Good Password Hygiene Practices
According to the Verizon 2018 Data Breach Investigations Report, the vast majority of data breaches result from lost, stolen, or weak passwords. Implementing a policy that forces your employees to follow proper password hygiene practices can go a long way in securing your organization. Employees should use a unique password for every system they access, change it regularly, and not use a weak password that is easy to guess. Routinely evaluating the enforcement of your policy by conducting regular security assessments is also recommended to ensure your employees are following these guidelines.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Even great passwords can get cracked. Hackers using sophisticated tools and leveraging the power of cloud computing can compromise systems protected with the most robust passwords. Implementing a solution that requires users to submit a second verification factor, such as a One Time Pin, before granting them access can mitigate this risk substantially.
Implement Defense in Depth and the Principle of Least Privilege
As cyber attacks grow in number and sophistication, implementing a Defense in Depth strategy and the Principle of Least Privilege can help you secure your business. By deploying layers of security, and ensuring employees only have the minimum access needed to perform their duties, you can limit the damage of a cyber attack considerably.
Train Your Employees to Identify Phishing Emails
Phishing is the most common form of cyber attack and has grown in sophistication with hackers even using websites with secure padlocks to deceive users. This development means determined attackers can circumvent standard browser security measures and the only real defense is a well-trained user. Training your users to identify phishing emails is now more crucial than ever.
Training Reduces Your Cybersecurity Risk
With cyber attacks on the increase and growing in sophistication, organizations need to train their employees to mitigate modern security threats. Cybersecurity awareness training can help reduce errors, enhance security, increase compliance, and protect the reputation of your business.
