In this digital age, it’s common practice for a business to review and revise their cybersecurity strategies as part of their preparations for the new year. These preparations involve identifying the existing and emerging cyberthreats the business will likely face in the next 12 months. To help your Florida organization beef up your cybersecurity, we've come up with this list of the biggest cybersecurity challenges you may encounter in 2022 and how to address them.
Ransomware
Ransomware will continue to be a major threat to organizations in 2022, thanks to the increasing prevalence of Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS). RaaS is a business model in which malware developers create ransomware kits that they sell or lease on the dark web. Any bad actor with enough money and time on their hands can avail these kits to launch ransomware attacks against businesses and governments. Because RaaS makes it easier than ever to get into the ransomware game, there will likely be a huge uptick in the number of ransomware attacks in the year ahead.
Fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do to keep ransomware at bay. You can start by implementing multiple layers of security, from next-generation firewalls to data encryption software. You should also provide cybersecurity awareness training to every member of your organization so they’ll know the signs of a ransomware attack and what to do in the face of one.
More sophisticated phishing attacks
Over the past few years, individuals and organizations have become more adept at spotting the common signs of phishing attacks. Cybercriminals are well aware of this fact, and are coming up with new, more sophisticated phishing strategies to avoid detection. The next year will see phishing attacks that leverage deepfake technology to trick targets into divulging confidential information or handing over large sums of money. Cybercriminals will also use information gleaned from their marks’ social media accounts to make phishing emails and text messages seem more authentic.
Just like with ransomware attacks, awareness is key to keeping phishing scams at bay. Make sure your employees know what the common types of phishing are, how to identify phishing attacks, and what to do if they receive a suspicious email, phone call, or text message. Also, you should deploy spam and phishing filters to keep these malicious emails from reaching your employees’ inboxes.
Increased attacks on mobile devices
In 2022, expect to see even more malicious apps and attacks that are designed to target mobile devices. Such attacks can put your business at risk by allowing cybercriminals to access your confidential data or by infecting your devices with malware.
To protect your organization from these threats, you must implement a mobile device management (MDM) solution. An MDM solution will allow your IT team to monitor and secure your employees’ smartphones, tablets, and laptops, whether these devices are company-issued or personally owned. You’ll also have the option to block third-party or unvetted apps from being downloaded onto these devices. Additionally, make sure all employee devices are always running the latest operating system and have up-to-date security patches.
IoT security threats
The use of Internet of Things (IoT) devices is expected to grow significantly over the next few years, with businesses across sectors planning to invest an average of $2.8 million on IoT through 2024. For these businesses, the increased adoption of IoT means significant improvements in productivity, customer service, and savings. But it also makes them more vulnerable to the risks posed by the technology.
IoT devices inherently lack robust security solutions and encryption protocols, which makes them easy to hack. Cybercriminals can easily exploit these vulnerabilities to gain access to company networks and confidential data, or even launch attacks against other organizations. However, by ensuring that your IoT devices are always updated with the latest software and firmware updates, you can keep these devices secure against a host of cyberthreats.
Remote and hybrid work attacks
Many businesses plan to move away from traditional office setups in favor of hybrid and remote work arrangements in the coming year. This shift makes organizations more vulnerable to cyberattacks, as both hybrid and remote work setups provide more opportunities for malicious actors to gain access to company data. For example, if one of your remote employees uses unsecured Wi-Fi to access their work email, a hacker on the same wireless network could easily steal and use the employee's login credentials to access your company’s network.
You can achieve a secure hybrid or remote working environment by deploying antivirus and anti-malware tools, firewalls, and a virtual private network. You must also educate your employees on cybersecurity best practices, including setting strong, unique passwords, enabling multifactor authentication, and verifying the legitimacy of links and attachments before opening them.
Gear up your business for growth in 2022 and beyond with innovative cybersecurity and business IT solutions from Cutting Edge Network Technologies. Contact us today to get started or download this free eBook for more information.
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