A Look at How Cybersecurity Has Changed in 2018

Cybersecurity has changed significantly since 2017, and any organization that wants to survive in the evolving online environment needs to ponder how they are protecting their assets. Let's take a look at exactly how cybersecurity has been altered since 2017, including some of the notable statistics regarding the current state of online threats for today’s businesses.

The Internet of Things Keeps Growing
Connected devices are everywhere and it’s doubtful that they will go away anytime soon. To account for this increasingly growing trend, businesses have been optimizing security to accommodate them. It doesn’t matter which industry a business falls in; the majority of them utilize the Internet of Things (IoT) to at least some extent, but whether or not they are protecting themselves is another question. Eventually, it comes down to risk versus reward. Is your organization willing to compromise security just to use IoT devices, or are you willing to ensure that they don’t become a risk for your organization?

Ransomware, While Still Hazardous, Isn’t as Common
2017 was the year of ransomware. While it’s still an issue for many businesses, in 2018 it isn't nearly the problem that it was last year. According to Malwarebyties, the rate of infection for ransomware had dropped to about 10%, as of last December; that's a substantial decrease. Still, it’s best to prepare for it ahead of time if you want to make sure your business can survive a brush with this type of malware.

Cryptomining is King
The next big thing to come from 2018 is a significant 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 companies 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 allowing a threat to 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 types 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? Macro Systems 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 703-359-9211.