2018’s Cybersecurity Update

Cybersecurity has changed considerably since 2017, and any business that wants to survive in the evolving online environment needs to consider how they are protecting their assets. We want to take a look at precisely how cybersecurity has changed since 2017, including some of the notable statistics regarding the current state of online threats for today’s businesses.

The Internet of Things Continues to Grow
Connected devices are everywhere, and at this point, it’s unlikely that it will go away anytime soon. To account for this continuously growing trend, businesses have taken to optimizing security to accommodate them. It’s safe to say that it doesn’t matter which industry a business falls in; the majority of businesses utilize the Internet of Things to at least some extent, but whether or not they are protecting themselves is another story altogether. Ultimately, it boils down to risk versus reward. Is your business willing to compromise security just to use IoT devices, or are you willing to ensure that they don’t become a risk for your business?

Ransomware, While Still Dangerous, Isn’t as Common
2017 was the year of ransomware, and while it’s still a problem for many organizations, in 2018 it wasn’t nearly the problem that it was last year. As of last December, according to Malwarebytes, the rate of infection for ransomware had dropped to about 10%, which is a substantial decrease. Still, it’s best to prepare for it ahead of time if you want to make sure your organization can survive a brush with this type of malware.

Cryptomining is King
The next big thing to come from 2018 is a major increase in cryptomining malware, which can install itself on a device and remotely activate to mine bitcoin without the user’s knowledge. This can have various side-effects on the device that might manifest in different ways, such as slow device speeds and otherwise labored usage.

Security is More Proactive as a Whole
Too often businesses wait too long to address specific problems with their security measures. This can take the form of anything from failing to administer a patch or security update as soon as possible, to letting a threat remain unaddressed on your network without knowing it exists. Rather than take a reactive stance to security, businesses have been dedicating themselves to proactive security measures to offset the risk of being affected by threats.

A new survey released by IDG showcases the security priorities of all kinds of businesses. The respondents to this survey claimed that they found the following aspects important to maintain a healthy, proactive stance on network security:

• 74%: Best practices
• 69%: Compliance mandates
• 36%: Responding to a security incident that occurred in their own organization
• 33%: Mandates from the board of directors
• 29%: Responding to a security incident that occurred in another organization

How has your business taken steps toward network security? SMART Services can help you make sure your organization’s security doesn’t hold you back from reaching your goals. To learn more, reach out to us at 586 258-0650 .