The start of the new decade comes with lots of good things businesses. In 2021, technology will improve significantly in various fields. This will not only provide opportunities for business growth, but it will also have an impact on the quality of life.
Nonetheless, the fact that 2021 could be an amazing year doesn’t mean that it will not come with its share of challenges, especially as far as cybersecurity is concerned.
New threats will come up, and attackers will also explore new strategies to damage and defraud companies using older threats.
Below are some of the cybersecurity threats to watch out for in 2021;
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Phishing attacks
In 2020, phishing attacks were prevalent across all industries, and experts believe that this is one of the major threats that businesses will continue to face in 2021.
Among all the other threats, phishing attacks are the gravest because they are made to lure one into providing sensitive information, downloading malicious attachments, or following suspicious links that could install malware and other viruses in a system.
Most attackers will use advanced phishing strategies in 2021 because they are easy to pull off, useful, low-risk, and affordable.
To prevent this threat from wreaking havoc in your business;
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Enforce a policy of least privilege for accounts in your business, such that systems are only accessed by relevant employees. Besides, it doesn’t make sense for an office messenger to access the finance department’s system.
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Train your workforce to spot phishing scams
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Invest in the best anti-phishing program which detects falsified emails that ask for information and/or contain malicious links.
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IoT-based attacks
In 2021, the number of interconnected devices in homes and businesses will increase significantly. Cybercriminals will identify loopholes in these devices and steal the data they need for their malicious intentions.
IoT devices are often ignored, and this is why hackers will focus on them since they are easier to infiltrate.
The best way to thwart attacks on your interconnected devices is to document them, find out the operating system that each one of them uses, and keep their firmware up-to-date. You can also install a VPN in your router, firewalls, and other security solutions to these devices. For example, if you use Chrome, you can head over to the NordVPN Chrome store and get a VPN to keep your valuable information secure. This will make it difficult for hackers to compromise your data.
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Ransomware
Over the past few years, there has been a decline in ransomware attacks that target individuals, but those that target business have increased significantly.
The reason why businesses are more targeted is that they provide more lucrative opportunities for hackers.
In 2021, ransomware attacks will increase even higher. This will lead to massive financial losses, and we might even see business closures as a result.
To prevent this, acquire military-grade firewalls, which will prevent this form of malware from being installed in your systems. Also, have a disaster recovery plan in place, including a physical backup of your business data. This will ensure you retrieve your data first in case of an attack.
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Internal threats
In 2021, businesses will face cybersecurity threats from external forces and their employees.
Since employees have access to business data, it will be easy for those with malicious intent to inflict harm and cause damage.
Also, they might unknowingly fall victim to phishing scams or allow criminals access to their accounts.
The best way to avoid this problem is by imposing and enforcing a policy of least privilege, which defines who has access to which systems. This is not a foolproof plan, but it will go a long way in ensuring that only minimal damage is witnessed if an attack happens.
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Cyberstalking
Cyberstalking is another major cybersecurity threat that will dominate the cybersecurity space in 2021. This is harassment and stalking carried out over the web, especially on social media platforms and other online communication channels.
The best ways to prevent cyberstalking are keeping a low profile, hiding your IP address, and avoiding disclosing sensitive data to anyone over the web. In case you fall victim to this form of cyber threat, report the person behind it to the platform, inform the police, and better still, block the person!
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Cryptojacking
With the increasing use of cryptocurrencies for various transactions and the high value placed on these currencies, cybercriminals want a piece of the cake. This is why cryptojacking will be a major threat.
Cryptojacking is malicious cryptomining. It is malware that hides in systems and uses the resources to mine digital currencies.
To prevent this attack, look for a comprehensive cybersecurity program that will prevent your systems from being infected with malware, Trojan, or other computer viruses that aid Cryptojacking.
Be on the lookout for the threats outlined above, and use the strategies suggested to prevent them. Also, ensure you use strong passwords for all your systems and make use of multi-factor authentication. This will make it hard for hackers to access your devices, therefore providing an extra layer of security to your data.
