FINAL WORD
Dave Adamson , CTO of Espria
attackers to gain a foothold in businesses ’ networks . A 2023 report by Sophos found that among the 66 % of organisations who suffered ransomware attacks , 36 % of those attacks were carried out through vulnerabilities in devices – the leading cause for ransomware attacks in 2023 .
With the continually changing IT ecosystem , legacy security is not robust enough to secure a network for remote workers and businesses , nor protect the valuable data they hold . Technologies with system and network access , such as IoT devices and operational trusted applications – and information disclosure . Both methods are largely exploitative of inefficient management systems , however , consistent renewal of software can mitigate these risks by ensuring your detection and response is up-to-date . This preventative method is less costly than investing in additional physical infrastructure and layers of protection , aiming to reduce the frequency of attacks , speed up response times and reduce the significance of the loss – whether it is a corporate crisis or a minor IT incident .
Stay up-to-date on cybersecurity threats
A fortified network is not the only factor that reduces cyber-risks ; collective responsibility and security awareness is also vital for businesses trying to foster a culture of vigilance . The shift to online has meant that employees are exposed to a higher volume of digital interactions and cybercriminals often target employees who lack sufficient knowledge on security . A single careless action , such as clicking on a malicious link or providing confidential information to an untrusted source , can put an entire business ’ s cybersecurity at risk . According to a 2023 report from Verizon , more than 90 % of cyberattacks are through email tailored to mimic common email templates and workers with insufficient training about phishing are most at risk of falling prey to these attacks . Businesses should therefore conduct regular awareness training and enforce best security practices and guidance to help employees recognise and respond effectively to potential threats .
Cybercriminals will continue to target employees as long as they are vulnerable to their attack methods .
With 74 % of breaches involving a human element , business leaders have a responsibility to establish comprehensive security policies and procedures that can provide employees with training on new and emerging threats . Managers can reiterate the safety training and highlight key concepts such as checking the domain name of the URL , looking out for any grammatical errors and making sure that email and antivirus applications are up-to-date . technology , are all access points that need to be regularly updated to avoid unintentionally weakening points of access for cybercriminals to exploit .
Outdated software , as well as insufficient encryption , can all be avoided if businesses practise diligent patching of their networks . The NCSC report , which reviewed their key developments and highlights , found that the two top methodologies employed in ransomware attacks involved cross-site scripting – an attacker embedding malicious scripts into
This will improve the business ’ s front line of defence and reduce the risk of attackers slipping into the network to exfiltrate data for ransomware .
One thing is clear , cybercriminals will continue to target employees as long as they are vulnerable to their attack methods , and so it is crucial for businesses to establish a fortified network and strong cybersecurity within their organisation . To succeed in the midst of this ransomware pandemic , business leaders must rethink their strategies to challenge the new cyber-landscape through strengthening their servers and training staff accordingly . p
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