In recent times, you hear about more and more hacking cases and leaks for big businesses. Sony, Uber, Edmodo, and Yahoo! have all been subject to data breaches that exposed users’ and employees’ passwords, data, business plans, and all sorts of embarrassing information! Even credit card numbers and banking details weren’t safe from modern hackers’ expertise.
So, you can see why everyone worries about the future of cyber safety. But, as we develop safer and safer online protection systems, are hackers becoming more sophisticated accordingly? If so, why? What can we do to mitigate their threat? Let’s explore this:
Why are hackers getting more sophisticated?
Information security analysts work hard to identify risks to security. They create new preventative controls to defend and protect. Unfortunately, hackers also discover new ways to access private data. As a result, information security analysts are more imperative than ever to fight against data breaches.
Cybercrime is more lucrative
One big reason the cybersecurity field keeps growing is that cybercrime keeps getting more tantalizing. Whether it’s the fact that there are more and more internet users or that there is more information out there, the average data breach costs a business around $3.62 million! What’s more, this amount is expected to double soon. If this figure would already put your company out of business, you truly can’t afford a data breach. So, invest in the best online security you can get.
Vulnerabilities are growing
Hackers would have only had servers, websites, and computers to target in the past. Nowadays, however, a hacker finds a way in everywhere! Whether it’s a car’s alarm, an airplane system, power grids, or security systems, more automated products than ever before look like a front door to a hacker. Indeed, any technology based on code forms an opportunity to get in. That’s why your business needs the best possible online security if you want to mitigate security threats ahead of time.
The world is getting automated
Leave it to Alexa. As processes get more automated, more and more of a company’s infrastructure is rooted in technology. However, like any other system, computerised systems are made of code that cybercriminals can access. The more processes are done digitally, the more opportunities for cybercriminals to hack in and steal your top-secret information. Bad news for you, but great news for us!
Hackers keep learning more
Lifelong learners, the world’s hackers discover new ways to access data daily. Fortunately, information security analysts – white hat hackers or ethical hackers, more or less – are on the ball, identifying security risks and fixing them before hackers can use them. The analysts then produce and implement new preventative security controls to defend against attacks. So, as hackers’ skills become more sophisticated, so do information security analysts’. However, more cybersecurity specialists will be needed in the future to create more advanced security solutions.
Tools get more sophisticated, too
I was dumbfounded when I first heard about so-called “Trojan horses” and “malware” years ago. But it’s not all just hacking into the “mainframe” and “firewall” anymore. Today’s hackers have an arsenal of modern tools at their command. Ransomware, phishing kits, customisable infected files, keyloggers – the list goes on. Not to mention using developers’ tools against them! What’s more, the most effective hackers can combine a few of these techniques with the techniques of old, making for seamless hacking.
Recently, cybercriminals have been able to use Windows management tools subtly. They fire up PowerShell and initiate chains of scripts that disguise themselves as normal Microsoft processes. This method of hacking without a trace is highly effective – when you don’t even notice the threat, there’s only so much you can do to protect yourself against it.
What can we do to protect ourselves?
It’s official – cyber hackers are now pretty much able to get in and out without being detected! So, what can we do to defend ourselves against this latest threat?
Well, all the same, age-old wisdom still applies. First, ensure your systems are running the latest software and operating system, lest you suffer a ransomware attack. Next, turn on auto-updates, but don’t use the unstable beta versions of apps and software. Finally, back up all your important data and have a plan that will allow this data to quickly and safely be put back into place if the worst does happen.
But above all, make sure you have the right cyber security professionals working with you. Cyber liability insurance is a must in the digital age.
