The COVID-19 pandemic has created a lasting impact on all types of businesses. But, it has been especially hard on security teams. There was a tremendous increase in ransomware attacks, phishing emails, and remote work- which has delayed and weakened security processes.
Corporate Technologies has compiled a list of a few key cybersecurity trends of 2021, all of which have been influenced by the pandemic.
Ransomware
Coalition (leading cyber insurance company) published a report showing that ransomware was the top cyber insurance incident in the first half of 2020, with the average ransomware demand increasing by 100% from 2019 to Q1 2020. On top of that, there was a 47% increase in the severity of ransomware attacks. As businesses have been struggling to survive the pandemic, they have become more vulnerable- clearly making 2020 a peak year for ransomware attacks. And as remote work becomes more common, ransomware attacks will too.
Attackers’ use of ransomware and other forms of malware are surging, and because they come with such serious risks, it is crucial for companies to know what they can do to avoid it at all costs. In order to minimize the risk of being attacked with ransomware, we created a list of things you can employ in your business. Keep in mind, this list does not include everything you can do, these are just a few:
- Email training
- Keep up with software updates
- 3-2-1 Backups
- Strong passwords
Remote Networks
In the past, most companies opposed moving their workforce to remote environments. However, this changed when the pandemic struck. From relectuance to a matter of survival, SMBs have normalized remote work, as well as cloud migration. Moving to the cloud does, however, give rise to other security obstacles, which requires enhanced expertise.
Remote work and cloud migration call for augmented access to a business’ VPN. For many of these companies, their existing VPN’s aren’t robust enough to manage and support a dispersed workforce. And since the demand for remote conditions are rising, this requires more extensive and layered solutions. One solution that has never been more important is two-factor authentication (2FA), or multi-factor authentication (MFA). This is an additional cybersecurity layer that we highly recommend all businesses introduce immediately.
Cloud Threats
Collaboration is a necessity for business continuity, and the cloud provides just that. Cloud usage has intensified within the last year as more companies than ever are working remotely. Although global corporations have been using the cloud, even before the pandemic, the pandemic served as a catalyst for it. However, with how many businesses are migrating to the cloud and how quickly they are doing so, it is expected that they will bring new security threats and challenges.
As stated, these are only a few cybersecurity trends Corporate Technologies predicts to see in 2021. All of the possible solutions to these challenges are ones that we can assist you and your business with.
if your business wants to stay afloat and secure this year, because we can help with that!
“Really impressed with their business practices and philosophies. Well worth a call!!” -Michelle
