Is your company’s cybersecurity policy as effective as it should be amid these tumultuous times? And if you’re not an employee but the owner of a small business – typically someone with much less sophisticated cybersecurity protection – how does your online security stack up? The answer: Cybersecurity has improved, but markedly more has to be done to secure networks in 2021, the second year of the pandemic, as the number of cyberattacks has become staggering.
As we look ahead to 2021 and to defending against an ever-evolving variety of exploits and attacks, it’s important to consider the cybersecurity attack vectors that will be most prevalent in the upcoming year.
Across the globe, radicalization, or Islamist extremism to be more specific, surfaced during the pandemic even when it wasn’t expected. Earlier in June, for example, Bangladesh’s 10 Minute School founder, Ayman Sadiq, received online death threats by an unknown Islamist group. Even in the developed world, it has become evident that cyber radicalization in young people is growing during the pandemic.
Security budgets are tighter than ever, and security professionals need to leverage existing investments smartly, and use innovative security solutions that maximize ROI. Here are seven safety and security solutions that security and loss prevention leaders should consider:
As global tensions continue to escalate, the Internet may find itself used as a weapon, something we are already starting to see happen, by nations attempting to exert their influence and enforce greater internal control over digital commerce and communication. Nations must recognize the threat of escalation beyond the point of no return and take steps to ensure that the interconnectivity of the open Internet remains intact long-term. This will prevent a “cyber dark age” in which governments implement national Internet protocols and stop the free flow of data across borders.
It’s within this expanded terrain for cyberattacks that the security trends of 2021 and beyond are taking shape. Workers are engaging with company resources from diverse locations. At the same time, businesses have ramped up their digitalization journeys to be more flexible and agile after COVID-19’s disruption of supply chains. The result is a dynamic tech environment where the continuity of business operations – and ultimately market competitiveness – will rely on robust cyber protections.
As organizations continue to adapt to life in the age of COVID-19, smartphones are set to take on additional responsibilities – even as the security limitations of these devices become ever more evident. Below, I’ve highlighted five key trends that are set to shape mobile security in 2021.
I have been in the cybersecurity industry for more than 20 years now. I have founded, operated, and exited several cybersecurity startups. I also advised, invested in, and even acquired a handful. Despite successful outcomes, my experience has left me perhaps a little jaded. Are we winning the battle? When I log into my various web accounts, I am so often reminded that my password had been stolen, sometimes alongside with my personal information. Even major financial institutions and government agencies have suffered a similar fate. Cybersecurity is broken, and here is why.
As we changed the way we work, cybercriminals followed because the modern criminal is constantly evolving in line with shifts in online behavior and trends. As we prepare to welcome 2021, what trends can we expect from the cyber world?
Trends that emerged in 2020, along with some new predictions, will have a huge impact on 2021 as these technologies continue to evolve and deploy even more quickly. Adoption of emerging tech will be even faster next year and securing data in these environments must finally move to the top of the priority list because more depends on security than ever before.
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