The year 2017 seems to have broken all kinds of records, from movie ticket sales to digital downloads. But one concerning trend was that 2017 saw more cyber attacks than any other year before it. This yearly increase is a trend that has been ongoing for about the last decade and, unfortunately, shows no signs of stopping.
Learn from the past and prevent future issues
The Kroll Annual Global Fraud and Risk Report, a survey of worldwide businesses and organizations, found that 84 percent of the companies experienced a fraud-related incident in 2017. Eighty-six percent reported at least one cyber incident, and 70 percent reported security incidents.
These percentages are up significantly from 2016
Five percent of the respondents stated that “information theft, loss, or attack was the most prevalent type of fraud experienced” in 2017. Of these cyber attacks, 36 percent of them were virus and/or worm attacks from an outside hacker. The Oil and Gas industry alone saw an increase from 41 percent to 60 percent of cybersecurity events in 2017. Obviously, this has executives and security professionals alike in these industries feeling considerable pressure and significant stress to reign in these kinds of incidents and prevent future attacks.
Start with your Internet connection
One way to help prevent these type of attacks in the new year is to start with the company that is supplying you with your Internet connection. When you negotiate your contract with this provider, ensure it is in writing that your network should be secure.
If you are going out of town to work or hosting conferences at an off-site location, confirm with the venue that the connection is secure. Many of the hacks that occur are from logging in to work accounts or computers remotely from non-secure, third-party Internet connections that opens you up to hackers.
Physical security
Another area that needs to be addressed is the use of “keyloggers” to gain access to data. These hacks involve recording your keystrokes as you type them, leaving your data, including passwords, open to attack. This happened to Northeast OB/GYN Associates and the Institute for Women’s Health in San Antonio, resulting in the loss of patient data and credit card information. Many of these keyloggers can be installed remotely, but an increasing number are being spread by hackers physically walking into a business claiming to be a repair person, only to sneak access to an unattended computer. Physical security and Internet security should work hand-in-hand to ensure that they provide a higher level of stability.
Diligence is key in maintaining a secure network and preventing your company from becoming a victim of such a breach. New Edge Technology Solutions is a Managed Service Provider (MSP) in the IT industry with offices in Atlanta and Chicago. Our team of technology experts is passionate about delivering the best IT services to our clients, at the best price. We are constantly evaluating, testing, and supporting the latest technologies available so our team and our clients can stay ahead of the game. Contact us for help with your IT security needs.