2019 Cybersecurity Trends
The Internet of Things Will Expose Security Risks
The number of “smart” devices grows exponentially every year. 2019 will see advances in driverless cars, smart homes, connected security systems, and virtual assistants. While these can be enormously convenient, they will continue to be prime targets for cybercriminals.
The issue is many of these devices are not secure end-to-end. Attacks on connected devices will also rise because of varying security standards and gaps in how these devices are connected with existing networks. One unsecure device can allow access to an entire network, or, at the very least, secure information stored on that device.
Security Assessments Will Need to Be Documented
Businesses have a responsibility to keep the personal and financial data of their customers safe. As customers increasingly rely on businesses to do this, industry regulators keep reviewing their privacy requirements and making them stricter. Data privacy laws can only get more far-reaching and complicated, and this will define how companies like yours use and manage data. These measures not only need to be implemented, but properly documented.
Increasing User Awareness
Users simply want their technology to work so they can do their work. It is easy for them to fall into the mindset that security is secondary to their main tasks or will be handled by someone else. You can have the most airtight security software and hardware to protect you from every external threat, but if your staff isn’t sufficiently trained in security awareness, you have a huge gap in your security strategy. This year it’s more critical than ever to introduce user awareness training as cyberthreats target individual employees and become more personalized. This training instills a sense of ownership in your employees and aligns their individual business goals with the importance of maintaining a secure network.
Cryptojacking
Cybercriminals can use unsecured computers, tablets, mobile phones, and even connected devices to help them mine for cryptocurrency. These programs run in the background of computers on an infected network and turn all the devices on the network into data miners for the cybercriminal’s benefit. This results in slower networks, high-processor usage, and sluggish response times.
Increased Attacks on Small Businesses
It’s time for small businesses to get a reality check. Cybercriminals are not only targeting large businesses, but the smallest as well. This is because they believe small businesses like yours don’t have the resources to maintain the level of security larger companies can. Small companies must reassess their security posture regularly to make sure they are safeguarded against attacks.