When you look back at 2017 and see all the Internet nightmares that occurred, it’s easy to see why IT directors have had their blood pressure steadily rise. Last year saw the rise of ransomware, including the WannaCry hack that impacted everything from businesses to governments and even hospital computer systems. Equifax suffered a data breach that compromised the personal information of almost half of the country. Even Yahoo was a victim, having personal data stolen from 3 billion users!
Unfortunately, it looks like this is just the start of a trend and cybersecurity is definitely going to be one of, if not the, top concerns in 2018. Here are a few of the top issues you need to keep on your radar as the year progresses.
Regulation of the industry
Regulation always brings a level of anxiety. But what you will see in 2018 as hacks become more commonplace is an attempt to regulate the IT and cybersecurity fields, possibly leading to a lack of innovation in those fields. At the forefront of this movement will be the idea that someone must be held accountable for these hacks. Since so many of the hackers go unprosecuted, the accountability will be placed on the IT departments that failed to stop the hacks.
Variety of threats
In the past, Trojan viruses and phishing attempts were the standard for cyberattacks. Now, ransomware has taken over as one of the main threats. As ransomware locks you out of your data through encryption, this can be a potentially fatal prospect for businesses. In addition, the switchover to cloud-based computing is leaving multiple vulnerabilities that could be exploited. Another type of threat is the physical breach where a hacker personally enters a business and installs a keylogger onto a computer to gain access codes and passwords. Finally, expect to hear a lot about DoS (Denial of Service) attacks that can keep you locked out of data, but can also do other things such as slow down access across a network.
Top-down training
One aspect that has always been important in stopping cybercrimes is training. It is important to let employees know how to avoid scams such as phishing emails. But it is also important to begin the training at the top all the way down. CEOs should be trained just as thoroughly as temps who are helping with data entry. In addition, the head of IT should be sitting in on major corporate board meetings. This way, the IT department will be kept in the loop and can better plan all aspects of the company’s new procedures and strategies in the coming year.
Being part of an IT department means having to stay one step ahead of the cybercriminals who can cost your business millions of dollars. As part of this, it is important to look at the hacking forecast for the new year and see what could be a potential threat.
New Edge Technology Solutions is passionate about delivering the best IT services to its 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.