Avoid falling victim to any of these cybersecurity risks 2022
Cybercrime is an increasing concern for organizations everywhere. A large part of the working population has worked from home in the past two years and is continuing to do so. Because of this, many business conversations and activities have taken and are taking place online. This opens a window for data breaches, leaking of sensitive data or worse: cybercrime. In this article you can read about the most common cybersecurity risks for organizations and how these risks can be minimized or even avoided.
Malware
Malware is an umbrella term for software like viruses, spyware, and Trojan horses. Malware usually ends up on a computer or network when employees click on a link or document that contains this software. Because the work traffic of many organizations has been from home in recent years, we have seen an increase in malware attacks. The name malware comes from the two words “malicious” and “software”.
Ransomware
Ransomware is a nasty form of malware. This one ensures that people within the organization can no longer access important documents or processes that are essential to keep the organization running. Often a large ransom is demanded from the organization to regain access. That’s where the name ransomware comes from.
Phishing
Phishing is probably the most common form of cybercrime now. Both privately and professionally, we see that more and more people are falling victim to the psychological game that hackers play during a phishing attack. They often pose as a well-known supplier or company and then ask for important details. Remote working has given a boost to the increase of phishing.
Password hacks
Password hacks are a little different of nature. These attacks use intelligent programs that can guess weak passwords. A different method of gaining access to passwords of employees is by key logging. Here, common keystrokes on a computer are ‘remembered’ without permission. Employees that use the same password to get access to multiple platforms are at higher risk to get hacked.
Tips to prevent a cyber attack
As an organization, there’s multiple things that can help prevent a cyberattack. Below a few tips:
Make staff aware of the risks
One of the easiest but most important things you can do is making all employees aware of the security risks when they must handle sensitive data or log on to sensitive systems. Train employees and teach them the basic principles of cyber security. This includes creating strong passwords, raising awareness about various phishing techniques, and keeping important security software up to date.
Use safety tools
There are many different tools and programs that can help organizations improve their security. Two-step verification is an easy-to-implement tool that prevents hackers from gaining access to the system. It’s also advisable to use a firewall to keep snoopers out. Another simple tip: make sure the computers used by employees are always up to date. There are plenty of tools, so use them!
Invest in a cybersecurity expert
Our last tip: Hire a cybersecurity expert. These experts can train employees, look at the cybersecurity protocols and, where necessary, think along with the digital transformation of an organization. After all, a well-thought-out plan is the basis for rock-solid security.
