Businesses can no longer afford to relegate cybersecurity to the bottom of the budget, not with cyberattacks targeting any business regardless of size, strict security, and privacy regulations surrounding data. Businesses with a small or limited budget have the advantage of partnering with a managed IT services provider (MSP) for their cybersecurity needs.
The financial sector has long been heavily targeted by cybercriminals. Over the years, the number of attacks that involved extortion, social engineering, and credential-stealing malware has surged rapidly. This means that financial institutions should strive to familiarize themselves with the threats and the agents behind them.
Factors such as increased connectivity and improved monitoring tools contribute to the record-breaking number of data breaches in 2018. However, the biggest contributor by far has to be the brazen ambition of hackers. That is, the counts aren’t getting bigger just because we’re getting better at counting breaches — the scope of cyberattacks has increased as well, with each major assault affecting hundreds of thousands to millions of users.
With the United States as the world leader in IT-driven innovations, it comes as no surprise that it also suffers the most data breach incidents. Greater connectivity means having a larger surface area to protect against network infiltrators and exfiltrators (i.e., internal actors who commit the unauthorized retrieval, transfer, or copying of data from inside a network outwards), be they malicious or unintentionally harmful in nature.
Over the past few years, the security industry has been witnessing a rapid evolution in attack techniques, including fileless malware, which uses legitimate tools and services such as existing software, applications, and authorized protocols to carry out malicious activities such as unauthorized data retrieval or data damage.
Advertisements and suggestions based on our internet browsing habits are sources of online tracking. However, autocomplete passwords are also another source of online tracking. This sneaky tactic comes with serious security risks. Here’s how you can stop it from targeting you.
Installing antivirus software and setting strong passwords are no longer considered the bare minimum in cybersecurity. With hackers, third parties, and ISPs constantly monitoring networks and your online habits, hopping onto a virtual private network (VPN) is crucial for keeping your surfing habits private.
Running a business and fending off competitors is tough enough, but mounting threats to your company’s data and processes make everything more difficult. How can one cope with more sophisticated malware and complex government regulations that add costs to operations? And how can a small- to medium-sized business (SMB) navigate the sea of solutions that’s as broad in choices as it is deep in technical jargon?
SMBs can begin by raising their awareness of the current and foreseeable landscape.
A password policy designed for federal agencies must be secure, right? Surprisingly, that hasn’t been the case, according to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The NIST created many of the password best practices you probably loathe — the combination of letters, numbers, and special characters — but it now says those guidelines were misguided and has changed its stance on the matter.
Personal data is collected from us all the time. eCommerce sites store our purchasing habits info to push products we’re most likely to buy. Healthcare organizations collect everything from our vital signs to our treatment histories so that practically any physician in any facility can know critical details about our health, such as drug allergies.
