Strengthen Your IT & Data Security to Prevent Cyberattacks

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed everything about the world as we know it. Just as we started embracing new practices like sanitizing, social distancing and remote working, the pandemic has also forced us to embrace systemic changes in the ways we deal with cyberthreats. In 2021, the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center received 847,376 complaints from the Americans, up 7% from 2020, and the potential losses for these complaints exceeded $6.9 billion.

Now is the time to ensure business’ bolster their data security to confront these new cyberthreats.

Since remote working is here to stay, the trend of increasing cyberattacks is expected to continue well into the future. Moreover, business technologies are also transforming, attracting more cybercriminals to target business data. In these circumstances, the best solution is to build your cyber resiliency and protect yourself from unforeseen attacks.

Remote Working And Cybersecurity

Cybersecurity has always been a challenge for businesses with sensitive data. A single unexpected breach could wipe out everything and put your existence in question. With the sudden transition to remote working, this challenge has increased for security teams. From the potential safety of the remote working networks to trivial human errors, there are endless ways in which your IT network could be affected when employees are working remotely.

In a recent study, nearly 20% of organizations said that remote work contributed to their organization’s data breach, which ended up costing companies $4.96 million, 15% more than the average breach. Also, detecting breaches early is another big issue for IT security teams. In 2021, it took an average of 212 days to detect a breach, and an average of 75 days to contain one, for a total lifecycle of 287 days. Is your cybersecurity posture good enough to withstand a potential attack?

Threats You Need To Be Aware Of

Cyberthreats come in different shapes and forms. From simple spyware monitoring your network transactions to a full-fledged ransomware attack that holds all your critical data for ransom, there are multiple ways in which your IT network could be affected. Only when you get an idea of the potential risks surrounding your IT infrastructure can you build a resilient cybersecurity strategy that enhances your IT environment and keeps vulnerabilities at bay.

Let’s Look At Some Of The Common Cyberthreats That Businesses Are Prone To:

Phishing scams: Phishing emails still pose a major threat to the digital landscape of many businesses across the globe. COVID-19 communications have provided the perfect cover for these emails to lure unsuspecting users. By creating a sense of urgency, these emails might persuade your employees to click on malware links that could steal sensitive data or install malicious viruses inside a computer.

• Ransomware: Targeted ransomware attacks are increasing every day. There was a 92.7% increase in ransomware attacks in 2021 compared with 2020. Ransomware attacks hold an organization’s critical data for a ransom, and millions of dollars are paid to hackers every year as corporations do not want to risk losing their sensitive data. However, there is no guarantee that your files will be secure even after you pay the ransom.
• Cloud jacking: With the cloud becoming a more sophisticated way of storing data, incidents of cloud jacking have become a serious threat. These attacks are mainly executed in two forms – injecting malicious code into third-party cloud libraries or injecting codes directly to the cloud platforms. To put it simply, a public cloud vendor is responsible for providing the infrastructure while most of the responsibility concerning data security rests with the users. So, bear in mind that you are mostly responsible for your data security even when it is on the cloud.
• Man-in-the-middle attack: Hackers can insert themselves in a two-party transaction when it happens on a public network. Once they get access, they can filter and steal your data. If your remote working employees use public networks to carry out their official tasks, they are vulnerable to these attacks.
• Distributed denial-of-service attack: This attack happens when hackers manipulate your normal web traffic and flood the system with resources and traffic that exhaust the bandwidth. As a result, users will not be able to perform their legitimate tasks. Once the network is clogged, the attacker will be able to send various botnets to the network and manipulate it.

Strong Cybersecurity Starts With A Solid Foundation

Cyberattacks continue to evolve, but many successful incidents still stem from common weaknesses such as poor access controls, outdated systems, inadequate monitoring, weak authentication practices, and insufficient employee awareness.

The good news is that organizations do not need to solve every cybersecurity challenge at once. By focusing on foundational security controls such as multi-factor authentication, endpoint protection, firewalls, data backups, employee training, and proactive monitoring, businesses can significantly reduce their exposure to cyber threats.

Cybersecurity readiness is not about eliminating every possible risk. It is about creating multiple layers of protection that make your organization more resilient and better prepared to respond when threats emerge.

The businesses that consistently invest in security fundamentals today are often the ones that avoid costly incidents tomorrow.

Is Your Business Following Cybersecurity Best Practices?

Many organizations have security tools in place but remain unsure whether their overall security posture is strong enough to defend against modern cyber threats. If you’d like help evaluating your current environment and identifying opportunities for improvement, schedule a free consultation with ITNS Consulting. We’ll help assess your risks, identify gaps, and develop a practical roadmap for strengthening your cybersecurity defenses.

Build A Stronger Cybersecurity Foundation

Effective cybersecurity starts with getting the basics right.

Download our Cybersecurity Baseline Checklist to evaluate essential security controls, identify potential gaps, and take practical steps to better protect your business from today’s evolving cyber threats.