Blunders Companies May Commit in Cybersecurity This Year
Cybersecurity has become a business priority, as it's becoming increasingly clear how devastating a data breach, ransomware attack, or other cyber threat can be to a company's bottom line.
Thankfully, most businesses today understand the need for strong cybersecurity measures, at least compared to a few years ago. However, transforming cybersecurity into a business-wide strategic objective that it should be is still a new concept for many. Through working with companies of various shapes and sizes, I've seen the common missteps and pitfalls that can easily trip them up.
So here are the top five most significant mistakes businesses often make in cybersecurity, along with some tips on avoidance.
Failing to Appreciate AI's Role in Cybersecurity
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the cybersecurity landscape, making it easier for attackers to launch sophisticated phishing scams using digital replicas of faces and voices to trick security systems. AI-powered networking attacks are also on the rise, adaptively evading security systems in real-time.
However, AI can also be a valuable ally in the fight against AI-powered threats. Security tools like AI-based monitoring, anomaly detection, and automated defense systems should be a staple in every business's cybersecurity arsenal. Also, security strategies and playbooks should be consistently updated in response to emerging threats.
Lacking an Incident Response Plan
When a company is hit with a cyberattack and has no clear response plan in place, the result is typically chaos. While businesses have long passed over the creation of response plans, today it's no longer viable, as attacks are becoming increasingly more frequent, sophisticated, and costly.
Ransom payments, legal fees, data breach fines, and reputational harm can ruin a business. However, these risks can be mitigated with a well-constructed incident response plan, reducing the damage and ensuring a quicker return to normal operations when disaster strikes.
An Underprepared Workforce
With the rise of social networking attacks, unaware and undertrained employees often become the weakest link in a company's defense. AI-powered phishing attacks and deepfakes present new threats, making continuous, ongoing cybersecurity training essential. It's not enough to restrict the training to only those with direct access to critical systems. All employees who may become a vulnerability point must be included.
Underestimating Insider Threats
It's common for businesses to focus solely on preventing outsiders from gaining access to their systems, neglecting the 60 percent of data breaches caused by insider threats. These threats can be both intentional or accidental and often go undetected by systems designed to spot external threats.
Rigorous access controls and user monitoring are crucial in addressing insider threats. Implementing a culture of awareness among employees about their role in maintaining cybersecurity is also essential.
Neglecting a Company-Wide Culture of Cyber Preparedness
For too long, cybersecurity has been viewed as the responsibility of IT teams. The reality is that every employee plays a vital role in protecting a company from cyber threats.
Establishing a culture of cyber preparedness involves incorporating cybersecurity into every aspect of daily operations, promoting security best practices, and emphasizing that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility.
By being mindful of these common mistakes and implementing effective countermeasures, businesses can enhance their resilience to cyber threats and minimize the risks posed by hackers, phishers, scammers, and ignorance as society becomes increasingly digitized and connected. A cybersecurity-first approach, comprehensive employee training, and robust incident response plans should be top priorities for every business today.
- Despite the increasing role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in cybersecurity, many businesses still fail to fully appreciate its potential and incorporate it into their cybersecurity strategies, thereby leaving themselves vulnerable to AI-powered threats.
- Lack of a clear incident response plan can lead to chaos and costly consequences when a cyberattack occurs, as businesses today face more frequent, sophisticated, and expensive attacks than ever before.
- Neglecting continuous employee training, particularly in light of new threats like AI-powered phishing attacks and deepfakes, can result in an underprepared workforce that becomes a weakness in a company's defense against cyber threats.
