BE CYBER SAFE
razorblue CEO Dan Kitchen on how to protect your business from cyber attacks
2020 was the year of the virus , both from a biological and a digital perspective .
The sudden shift to remote working in response to Covid-19 intensified cyberattacks and breaches on a global scale . Hackers took advantage of the gaps in these new target-rich environments and as a result governments , organisations and individuals have paid a heavy price .
Breaches almost doubled from 2019 with hackers attacking every 39 seconds . The types of cyber-attacks vary in sophistication , but financial gains remain the main motivator . How attacks work One common method of attack is phishing , a type of social engineering attack often used to steal user data , including login credentials and credit card numbers .
It occurs when an attacker , masquerading as a trusted entity , dupes a victim into opening an attachment .
Typically , they trick the recipient into believing that there is an action they need to take , such as a request for bank details , clicking a link or downloading an attachment , or a request to change their password .
Clicking a malicious link leads to the installation of malware , the freezing of the system as part of a ransomware attack or the revealing of sensitive information .
Ransomware is another one of the most prevalent variants of a cyber-attack , often delivering more impact and disruption to the victim than many others . The malware prevents users from accessing their system or personal files and demands a ransom pay-out in exchange for regained access .
The principle of a ransomware attack is simple - hackers hold businesses to ransom by encrypting their data so they can no longer make use of it , and in some cases exposing the stolen data online .
Although ransomware has been around for years , it has become a more prevalent method for hackers as they can operate under the cover of cryptocurrencies that are more difficult to trace . How to safeguard your business Attackers are smarter and more convincing than ever before . One method of protection is not enough to fully safeguard your business , you need to implement a layered approach . We recommend an amalgamation of the following solutions : > Education 86 per cent of threats and data leaks start with an employee and over 90 per cent of security breaches involve human error . It is imperative to keep your employees up-to-date and trained on cyber threats and how to identify malicious content .
> Email Security Around 94 per cent of all malware is spread through email . An effective email security software will protect against all internal and external email threats . Email
24 | Aycliffe Business