The headlines are filled with breaking stories of data breaches and ransomware attacks. That is why Naviga takes these threats very seriously and provides multiple layers of defense to keep our customers safe. As we start the new year, if you are reviewing your cybersecurity vulnerability, it is not always easy to know where to start. With so much information about the latest threats out there, it can be difficult to pick out what is most important. The following list highlights the top 5 issues that modern businesses face on a constant basis.
The threat posed by phishing and social engineering to businesses.
The most common types of cyberthreats faced by businesses are phishing and social engineering. Phishing emails are designed to look like they are from a legitimate source, and they can target an entire company or just a few employees. The goal is always to get users to share their login credentials with the attacker. Social engineering is also used to trick people into clicking on links or downloading files that contain malware or viruses, which can lead to data theft and other damage.
Unpatched software provides easy access to cybercriminals.
Patch management (the process of updating and installing patches) is critical for security, and it must be done regularly. Patching is important for all software, not just operating systems. It needs to be done before a vulnerability is known about or exploited—and this can be difficult since there are so many different types of patches available with many different schedules for application.
Having your mission critical software in the cloud certainly makes patching easier to manage. But simply being in the cloud does not mean a site is immune from attack. Partnering with a vendor that prioritizes cybersecurity and provides monitoring services is essential to stay ahead of the threats.
Failure to manage access rights can also prove costly for a business.
It is important that the correct access rights are given to each user based on their role within the company and what they need to do their job effectively. This can pose serious problems for a business. For example, if you have an employee who leaves and takes all the information they were able to access with them when they go, it can take months to regain that trust.
Multi-factor authentication should be used wherever possible so that only those with permission can access data or systems. Access management tools are also essential for ensuring that no one has more rights than necessary. Software usage policies should be reviewed regularly to prevent employees from being granted permissions they will not need later.
Sophisticated malware will exploit new patches as soon as they are released.
Malware is a type of software that is designed to cause harm, whether it be stealing data or disrupting your business operations. It can come in many forms: viruses, worms, spyware, and ransomware are just some examples.
There are multiple ways you can detect malware on your network: performing regular system scans using anti-virus software; or monitoring DNS requests made by computers on the network are a couple of examples.
As with any security threat, there will always be new threats to address. So, it is important that you stay up to date on patches for software such as Adobe or Microsoft—so you can safeguard against malware attacks.
User carelessness can allow cybercriminals to profit from ransomware attacks.
Ransomware is a form of malware that steals files from victims’ computers and then demands a ransom payment to recover them. The easiest way for cybercriminals to profit from ransomware attacks is by targeting users who are careless about their security practices.
For example, many people use the same password for multiple accounts. If one person’s account gets hacked and their password is leaked publicly, it becomes easy for cybercriminals to compromise additional accounts associated with that user by using the same password in brute force attacks against other sites.
In addition, users should avoid opening suspicious emails or clicking on links within them (even if they appear legitimate). They should also avoid downloading software from unknown or untrusted sources; this includes attachments sent via email by unknown sources as well as files downloaded directly from websites or social media platforms like Facebook.
Businesses must be vigilant against these top five cybersecurity threats.
The threats posed by phishing and social engineering to businesses are on the rise. Companies must be vigilant to avoid falling victim to these attacks. Unpatched software is easily accessible to cybercriminals. Failure to manage access rights can also prove costly for a business because this allows malicious actors access into protected resources. Sophisticated malware will exploit new patches as soon as they are released; therefore, businesses must ensure that all employees have adequate training when it comes time for patching workflows or else risk falling victim just like everyone else who does not follow best practices! And finally, the hardest to contain, is user carelessness which allows cybercriminals to exploit businesses.
Find out more about Naviga’s safeguards to protect our customers.
Contact Naviga at info@navigaglobal.com to see if your site qualifies for a free security audit.