Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field. The landscape of this industry changes on a regular basis in order to match new hacking methods, tricks and technology applications. So, when discussing cybersecurity trends, it is important to constantly update the list in order to keep up. We’re living in a changing world that depends more and more on technology with each passing day. Also, the bulk of the workforce has shifted to remote work, which creates a whole new layer of security problems and potential breaches. With that in mind and without further ado, here are three key cybersecurity trends that are expected to mark 2021.
1. BYOD policy
The first thing you need to understand is that due to COVID-19 more people had to work from home than ever before. This created a series of potential problems for companies in terms of cybersecurity. First of all, employees started relying more on their personal devices and working from unsecured networks. This made potential breaches easier to imagine.
For this very reason, a mandatory BYOD policy is the most important thing for any enterprise employing a remote workforce.
Passwords need to be compulsory on all devices used for work, regardless if you just use your phone/laptop to check emails. There also needs to be a much stricter data restriction based on the access level but also track record or responsible online behaviour amongst your staff. Backing up data becomes an even greater priority. Lastly, you need to set aside more time and effort to educate your staff on these matters.
The key thing here is motivation. If your staff doesn’t understand why this is so important, you need to take time and explain it to them. Tell them a couple of interesting hacking statistics. Give them examples of how they could become targets of such breach. Explain potential personal consequences for them should such a thing happen.
You also need to spend more time monitoring your staff. Through the help of managed IT services, this will become easier and more systemic.
2. Greater reliance on digital money
The bigger and bigger portion of the business world is coming to realize that digital money is the future of the business. Fees are lower, transfers are instant and the convenience is simply unparalleled. This form of transfer is advertised as safe, secure and quick, however, in order to make it so, you need to learn how to use it properly and in agreement with the highest cybersecurity norms.
First, you need to find a reliable platform for cryptocurrency conversion. This will help you make this entire payment system more versatile. It will also allow your enterprise to reduce its paper trail. A hybrid approach to digital wallet security is always a good choice and it adds that extra protective layer between you and a potentially malicious third party. Having two strong passwords also doesn’t hurt your cybersecurity efforts.
One of the biggest concerns of anyone using digital money is definitely phishing. You need to learn how to protect yourself from the use of phishing in the digital environment and such a thing is only possible through:
- Alertness
- Education
As long as you’re paying attention and expecting to be phished, it will be near-impossible to scam you. Once you start feeling safe, you’re in danger.
3. Cyber insurance
A hacking threat can happen even if you are extremely careful, this is why considering cyber-liability insurance (also known as cyber insurance) can be such a great thing. This is insurance meant to protect you from the fallout of a cyberattack. Sure, there’s nothing that can prevent the loss of a brand image due to such an attack, however, you can mitigate the legal and financial consequences of such an event. On its own, this makes a huge difference.
Now, this concept exists for a while now but more and more enterprises are slowly coming to recognize its relevance. In terms of its potential user base, really any organization that benefits from the use of technology (which is virtually anyone nowadays), can benefit from cyber insurance. The threat that cyber insurance is specifically designed to protect you from is ransomware. Sure, the additional cost of cyber insurance might put a strain on your already strained IT budget but the end result is probably worth it.
In conclusion
In the end, it’s important that you understand just how big this actually is. Cybersecurity trends and threats are a huge deal and they cost billions of dollars to companies worldwide. The biggest money- and data loss comes from the fact that the bulk of these companies don’t even make an effort to adapt to this situation or ever a problem. Fortunately, there is a lot you can do in order to avoid this problem. The above-listed three cybersecurity trends are a great example of a preferable course of action.
