Stay in the loop to protect your assets
At one point I remember thinking all of this “COVID Stuff” would blow over and things would be back to normal by Easter. It was wishful thinking, and no matter what side of the ‘mask/no mask’ debate you fall on, there is no denying that business as we know it is not going back to normal anytime soon. So even though you may have had a good handle on protecting your company from hacking and cyber attacks in the past, because how we’re doing business has radically changed in the last six months, you owe it to yourself, your clients, and your employees to make sure you are being proactive about adapting your defensive strategies.
The bottom line is that what worked in the past is not necessarily going to work in the future, and hackers know this. As they are adapting and finding new ways to threaten cybersecurity, Buzz and the Team are staying on top of things so you can focus on running your business and not lose sleep at night. We’ve come up with a few things you’ll want to keep an eye on next year, so let’s take a look!
- Phishing Emails. Phishing emails remain one of the most-used attack methods because so many people still fall for them. They use time-tested psychology that preys on predictable human behavior. They know people are still struggling in many cases to adapt to remote practices, and they look for any weak link in the fence to get through your defenses. The problem going into 2021 is that after a time, most remote employees get ‘the routine’ down, and are no longer vigilant against things like phishing emails, so it’s important to hold refresher training often. If you are in need of such training, be sure to reach out to us and schedule a free Lunch and Learn.
- Cybersecurity Attacks Implementing AI. Hackers have already surpassed many organizations when it comes to technology. Some have already begun using AI (artificial intelligence) to mimic human behavior, and this will no doubt continue in 2021. Recently, I commented on a public Facebook news story, and got over 75 notifications within seconds, all from the same person. I then began receiving multiple friend requests from people outside of the US. It took me a moment to realize that the “people” were in fact AI bots scanning my profile. I felt very exposed all of a sudden; I blocked them and changed my privacy settings. It was unsettling to say the least. The good news is that AI is not in itself evil—no matter how much sci-fi loves to mine this well for material. AI can also be used by security professionals, developers, and engineers and incorporated into existing agile processes like DevOps and ModelOps.
- Quantum Computing. In late 2019, Google made the announcement that they had conducted a milestone experiment in embryonic quantum computing that would launch a new age in quantum supremacy. Whether or not their findings can justify such a statement are still being debated, but the experiment itself is certainly notable. It got the attention of everyone working in cybersecurity because of concerns that a new type of computer relying on quantum physics instead of standard electronic computing could essentially “break” most modern cryptography. Even though it’s mostly speculation and only hypothetical at this point, the fact is that one day this type of computing could render communications as insecure as if they were not even coded to begin with. How soon this could happen is anyone’s guess, but it’s definitely going to stay on our radar for the foreseeable future.
- 5G Technology and Cybersecurity Concerns. A year ago European Union Members released a joint assessment report addressing increased security risks that will accompany using 5G technology. Not to be outdone, The Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released their own report last August. According to Director Cristopher Krebs, 5G is “the single biggest critical infrastructure build that the globe has seen in the last 25 years…Given 5G’s scope, the stakes for safeguarding our networks could not be higher. The vulnerabilities that will come with 5G’s deployment are board and range from insider threats to cyber espionage and attacks from sophisticated nation-states.” This is one story we’ll keep you in the loop about since its effect on how businesses will operate is going to be developing well into 2021.
- Ransomware Attacks Will Continue. In August’s blog, we reported on the current state of ransomware attacks and how to limit the chances that your data will be taken hostage and your business devastated. The National Law Review predicts in their latest findings that in 2021 there will be ransomware cyberattack every 11 seconds, costing the industry over $20 billion. This is an increase from their 2019 numbers, where they predicted it would be every 14 seconds, so stats are revealing that cyber terrorism is not going away, but gaining momentum. Check out the blog to learn more about how Buzz Cybersecurity can help you to stay one step ahead of this insidious threat.
2020 has been an interesting year, and we have no doubt that it will go out with a bang. But here at Buzz Cybersecurity, we want to encourage you to not be discouraged, nor to be afraid. We are continuing to stay up-to-date on all of the latest threats, and have no doubt that good will continue to prevail over evil in everything we set out hearts and minds to accomplish. 2021 is going to be a great year for new opportunities, and we will remain steadfast in protecting your business from any and all threats.
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