When it comes to cyber security, you should always look toward the future. Even if you feel good about your current security strategy, you never know what the following year will bring.
Just the same as 2016, you can be rest assured that 2017 will bring forth a variety of changes and challenges in regards to cyber security.
For example, in 2016, data breaches hit some of the biggest companies and organizations in the United States. This includes but is not limited to: University of Central Florida, U.S. Department of Justice, Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and Snapchat.
With the calendar turning to 2017, here are some cyber security trends that your company should become familiar with:
1. Hackers will do what’s Easy
Just the same as the past, you can expect hackers to take the path of least resistance.
In short, this typically means a focus on common vulnerabilities, all of which can be patched up to prevent access by taking the right approach.
2. Attacks on Small and Medium Sized Businesses
As noted above, large companies and organizations are often the target of cyber attacks. However, 2017 may be the year of attacks on small and medium sized businesses.
With this in mind, these companies need to invest in security defense and IT solutions that provide top notch security solutions and peace of mind. Neglecting to do so could result in an attack that has a negative impact on many aspects of the business.
3. More Hybrid Attacks
Do you remember the first trend we discussed above? Well, in addition to doing what’s easiest, you can also expect hybrid attacks to pick up steam in 2017.
With this, hackers use more than a single threat in order to cause long lasting damage. For example, this could include emails that deliver malware as well as DDoS that makes it extremely difficult to recover.
With this approach, hackers are able to carry out their attack while remaining anonymous. It’s this type of approach that makes it so important for people to understand how to avoid common phishing scams.
4. Cyber Insurance will Grow in Popularity
When you think about your IT budget, what comes to mind? In the past, you may have never thought twice about cyber insurance.
In 2017, however, you can expect all this to change. A growing number of companies will find that this should now be a big part of their IT budget.
Companies need to be concerned about the impact of a security breach. No matter how hard you try to avoid trouble, you don’t know what the future holds. Just the same as any other type of insurance – such as policies for your car and home – you need to protect your company against this threat.
5. Greater Commitment to Cyber Security
In the past, organizations passed off all cyber security related responsibilities to the IT department. While IT professionals will continue to take the lead, don’t be surprised to see a greater commitment to this across the board.
From the owner of the company all the way down to entry level employees, 2017 will see a more targeted focus on ensuring that everyone is on the same page in regards to cyber security.
Are You Ready?
Understanding these cyber security trends for 2017 will help you make decisions that put your company in a better position. Unfortunately, there is no way to completely eliminate the risk of an attack.
Now’s the time to invest more resources in cyber security, educate others as to the importance of making safe decisions, and focus on the steps you can take to become more proactive.
