As we make our way into 2018, one of the questions we’re hearing from our clients is this: how can we expect the cybersecurity landscape to change, and what will this mean for our business?
Unfortunately, recent data indicates that cyberattacks will continue to rise in quantity and severity as time goes on, and that the risk to our data and our businesses will only increase.
- Human error, not technology, is your primary risk factor – 95% of successful cyberattacks are the result of a phishing scam1
- These social engineering scams are hitting our businesses hard – Over 400 businesses are targeted by spear-phishing scams every day2
- Phishing is the primary vector for ransomware, which is also on the rise – 4,000 ransomware attacks occurred every day in 2016,3 and Symantec logged a 36% increase in infections2
- These attacks are costing us trillions of dollars – The cost of cybercrime is expected to hit $6 trillion in 2021 (up from $3 trillion in 2015)4
- Awareness training is perhaps your most powerful defense – Investing in training can reduce the risk of a breach by as much as 70%5
In sum, there are 3 primary takeaways for our businesses:
- The question is now “when,” not “if” our business will be hit by an attack.
- Our employees are our weakest link when it comes to security.
- A well-implemented Security Awareness Training program can mitigate your risk in a big way.
Are you prepared?
1
Ironscales 2017 Email Security Report
2
Symantec 2017 Internet Security Threat Report
3
Protecting Your Networks from Ransomware – U.S. Department of Justice (PDF)
5
Aberdeen Group and Wombat Security –
The Last Mile in IT Security: Changing User Behavior