When we look at today’s cyber security world, we can see that, unfortunately, there are still many challenges to overcome. For years now, cyber security companies have been trying to stay ahead of attackers. The speed with which attacks are created is certainly not decreasing, nor is it slowing down – quite the opposite. Hacking techniques are becoming more advanced, and it’s safe to assume that hackers will become even more creative in future years. So how do we anticipate their actions? What will they focus on exactly? It’s hard to say for certain, but some trends need our attention now.
Types of cyber attack trends
The first type of attack is ransomware. This has already made a significant impact during the past year, where many hospitals fell victim to ransomware attacks. Files were encrypted, and data was lost, which meant doctors couldn’t do their jobs properly anymore. The first hospitals that fell victim to these ransomware attacks were small ones, but a large hospital in Los Angeles also recently fell victim to cyber attackers. It should come as no surprise that ransomware will remain a threat throughout the next few years.
Another trend is DDoS attacks. In 2016, we saw some severe attacks take place, so it’s safe to assume this trend won’t be going away anytime soon either. The number of DDoS attacks might increase as hackers learn from others’ mistakes and become more efficient at executing such massive attacks.
Critical security measures
In terms of security, we’ve already seen some crucial security measures implemented. For example, everyone is aware of HTTPS, so even if attackers tried to intercept our traffic, they couldn’t read the information exchanged between us and the websites we visited. But there are also other ways hackers will be looking into critical access information or high-value targets. One way is through social engineering, which could turn out to be very effective for cyber criminals. Another method they might use is exploiting zero-day vulnerabilities. This means using vulnerabilities that haven’t been discovered yet, allowing them plenty of time before the vulnerability is patched up again by security experts who managed to discover it.
Another thing we should keep an eye on is future legislation regarding privacy laws (GDPR). Hackers will focus on areas where protection is lax or non-existent. This could result in numerous high profile data breach incidents that harm the reputation of companies and could lead to people losing their jobs as well.
The threat of ransomware attacks will not go away soon according to experts at RemoteDBA.com. But it’s also possible we might see another type of attack take over in 2017 – cryptocurrency miners. They all have in common that they will cause disruption to organizations’ business operations, which can cost them a lot of money without directly involving any ransom payment whatsoever. There are different types of attackers just waiting for their opportunity to strike, so now let’s talk about what defenders need to do.
You can do several things as an individual or company to significantly decrease your chances of becoming a victim of cyberattacks. The first thing to do is make sure your software updates are installed regularly, especially on all computers and mobile devices. Another critical step is making sure you have an antivirus solution installed, which will protect you against malware that might be able to slip past other security layers. One last piece of advice is to ensure more than one anti-malware software is installed – this will give you the best possible protection against different types of threats.
Cybersecurity has been a hot topic for years now, but it’s come into its own in the last year. Major hacks on Sony Pictures, the Democratic National Committee, and Anthem Health Insurance being just three examples of organizations falling victim to hackers.
Furthermore, several common cybersecurity mistakes are made time and again by companies everywhere. These mistakes go further than simple ignorance of best practice procedures; many companies are making critical errors that could indeed result in bad news. Incidents that cost them not only their data but potentially their reputation as well.
So what are these key mistakes? Let’s explore them together
People Are Still Using Easy-to-Crack Passwords
Using easy-to-guess passwords is one of the most common and worrying cyber security mistakes companies make. With huge lists of passwords available via torrent sharing sites, it’s becoming easier than ever to crack a simple password – and once your password has been found out, the hackers have full access to your files.
Some organizations are catching on, though, with Facebook being one high profile name that is now taking action against weak passwords. Their new plan is to not only ban poorly thought out passwords but also lock people out after several failed login attempts. This will force users to try harder for a stronger password next time round, hopefully resulting in fewer problems down the line.
Another organization that is cracking down on weak passwords is Microsoft Office 365. They’ve recently announced that they’ll be banning any password that’s too easy to guess. This follows hot on the heels of their ban of passwords under three characters in length, introduced earlier this year.
The Password Is Not Enough To Protect Data
The proliferation of cloud storage has meant that far more businesses are putting their data online these days – but there’s always a downside! Online security is still somewhat patchy at best. With so many companies struggling to ensure proper protection, vigilant employees can spot any vulnerability before they become serious problems.
One way hackers can gain access is through password-protected documents containing sensitive information. Although no password means instant hackability, old fashioned text files are very easily hacked by any random intruder who just happens along with your site. Even worse – many people store files that contain login details and passwords – precisely the information you want to keep away from prying eyes.
If these documents show up in Google searches, then anyone who has access to them will be able to find out what they contain: making them very easy to exploit! It’s probably best if they’re deleted altogether, as most cloud storage providers don’t allow for secure deletion of sensitive documents – meaning even if you delete it, your data is still there somewhere.
What Can I Do To Avoid Data Leaks?
The most important thing that companies can do is educate their employees about potential threats and ensure that they follow security policies at all times. This means training staff on how best to handle sensitive data and teaching them what to do in case of an attack.