If it seems like cyber security issues are making headlines nearly every day, it’s probably because they are. There is around one cyber-attack every 39 seconds, according to a recent study. This means that if you have an internet-connected gadget, you are at risk.
Individuals and corporations alike should be concerned about this. Businesses are entrusted with protecting our personal information, yet we put a lot of it out there in digital form. In addition, a cyber-attack can disrupt your daily operations and, if successful, result in a loss of money.
For these reasons, this article explains why you should take cyber security seriously, invest in adequate cyber awareness training for your personnel, and take other reasonable actions to protect your data.
The Frequency with Which Cybersecurity Issues Arise
A rising number of people have expressed concern about the security of their personal information online. According to research by the University of Maryland’s Clark School, a cyber-assault occurs on average every 39 seconds. More than 2,244 attacks were made on the computers over the study’s duration, most of which were automated scripts.
Because not all cyber risks are harmful, this may not represent the full scope of your concerns. As a matter of fact, human error and employee irresponsibility pose a greater threat to security than any other.
47 percent of organizations have had a data breach caused by things like devices or documents being misplaced or PCs being left unattended, according to Shred-research. Its Employees working from home and using personal gadgets in the workplace have also increased the potential of human mistakes.
Measures to Prevent Cyberattacks
While cyber threats are on the rise, there are steps you can take to secure your company. Even while many cyber-attacks are simple “brute force” attacks on several computers at the same time, the University of Maryland’s analysis demonstrates that this type of attack is far less common than more targeted attacks on specific devices or systems.
With this in mind, basic precautions can be taken to reduce the danger. When it comes to protecting your systems and data, cyber awareness training can play an important role in educating and empowering your personnel.
When it comes to usernames and passwords, training staff on certain best practices might be advantageous, as many hacking attempts are automated and involve guessing easy passwords. Teaching staff to avoid opening fraudulent emails and keeping their software up to date is also important, as Norton points out in an essay on its website.
Because of the sheer number of cyber security risks and the dire repercussions they can have, including data loss and the erosion of customer confidence, it is imperative that businesses take steps to safeguard themselves.
Asserting the importance of security responsibilities
Think about how much client data your organization has access to, and then take the viewpoint that you are ultimately responsible for keeping it safe. This also entails taking ownership of the prevention of cyber assaults, staff negligence, and unintentional errors on the part of the organization.
As a result of a successful cyber assault or security breach, many of your consumers are the true victims. In order to ensure that all of your bases are covered and that you are doing all that you can to keep yourself and others secure, consider working with a security-focused managed services provider.
Experts in cyber security advise Erik Brynjolfsson that “the lights are blinking red,” that we’re so susceptible, and we need to do a lot more, according to the director of MIT’s Initiative on the Digital Economy. “Although these additional steps may slow down parts of the operations, they will make us far more secure.”
These are the concerns that Fifosys works with small and medium-sized businesses in London and the South East of England to address, offering a variety of cyber security services, aiding firms in identifying and implementing various security solutions.
Cybersecurity’s Importance
The significance of cyber security is rising. Fundamentally, our society is more reliant on technology than it has ever been, and this tendency does not appear to be slowing down anytime soon. Data leaks that potentially lead to identity theft have been made public on social media. Cloud storage services like Dropbox and Google Drive now retain private data such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, and bank account numbers.
Everyone, no matter how big or little your company is, is dependent on computer systems every day. When you combine the proliferation of cloud services, shoddy cloud service security, mobile devices, and the Internet of Things (IoT), you have a slew of new cybersecurity dangers that didn’t exist only a few decades ago. Despite the increasing similarity in skill sets, we must distinguish between cybersecurity and information security.
All throughout the world, governments are taking a closer look at cybercrime. A good example is GDPR. Force all EU-based entities that handle EU-based data to comply with EU-wide data breach notification requirements
- Data breaches should be made public.
- A data protection officer should be appointed.
- Process data only when the user has given their permission.
- For privacy reasons, encrypt data.
It’s not just Europe that’s seeing a rise in openness. Data breach laws are in place in every state in the United States despite the lack of a national data breach statute. Examples of things in common:
- The necessity of promptly notifying anyone who could be harmed
- As soon as possible, notify the government.
- Pay a fine of some kind
Data breach disclosures were initially regulated by California in 2003, requiring affected parties to be notified “without reasonable delay” and “soon following discovery”. There is a $750 charge for each victim and a maximum of $7,500 fine for each company.
There are standards boards like NIST that have released frameworks to help firms better identify their security threats, improve their cybersecurity procedures, and avoid cyberattacks.
