4 Trending Cyberattacks & How to Protect Against Them in 2024

4 Trending Cyberattacks & How to Protect Against Them in 2024

A new decade is here and, with it, new ways your business can be hit with a cyberattack. As hackers continue to evolve their methods for breaching business defenses, companies are demanding more cybersecurity innovation from vendors. With advancements in smartphones, tablets, voice assistants, and social media among many others, businesses operate more efficiently; however, these advancements have also increased exposure to new forms of cyberattacks. Threats like ransomware, email phishing, and malvertising are not new concepts, but they are progressively expanding their reach and taking advantage of gaps in security related to newly adopted technology and devices. Not only does this propel cloud security to the forefront of a business’s IT strategy, but it also underscores the importance of staying up to date with cyberattack trends. Here are 4 trending cyberattacks and how to protect against them in 2020.

1. Mobile Ransomware Attacks

Ransomware as we know it is malicious software used to prohibit access to a network, devices, and data until a ransom is paid. With the average person conducting multiple app downloads, link clicks, and operating via mobile devices every day, businesses are likely to suffer attacks if proper precautions aren’t taken.

How to Protect Your Business:

Mobile security, cloud security, and employee awareness should be on every company’s radar in 2020. Secure company devices with strong passwords and multi-factor authentication. Educate employees about ransomware and what signs to watch out for. Require employees to disconnect their personal devices from company networks for an added safety layer.

Security as a Service (SECaaS) solutions can also secure your business in 2020. Managed Security Services Providers (MSSPs) offer end-to-end security services, including Security Information and Event Management (SIEM), anti-virus, firewall protection, email security and managed security services. Remember to protect your business from traditional ransomware in addition to mobile attacks. Businesses are susceptible to both in 2020.

2. Smishing

Businesses could also see smishing spikes in 2020. This cyberattack involves sending malicious SMS text messages in exchange for credit card information or social security numbers. It can affect any employee with a smartphone, which puts any corporation in danger.

How to Protect Your Business:

Prevent a smishing attack through employee training. Show examples of what malicious text messages look like. Typically, the hacker will impersonate someone in power and encourage an employee to click on a dangerous link. Spelling errors and poor grammar are good indicators of a smishing attack. Texting is becoming a business norm, so make sure phone numbers on company devices are legitimate. Require authority to pre-approve contacts and questionable texts. Remember to remind employees that companies and banks will never request sensitive information in the form of a text.

3. Social Media Cyberattacks

Most businesses maintain a social media presence on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram, which makes it desirable for cybercrimes. In fact, out of nearly 100 million fake Facebook users, 14 million of those profiles are malicious. With social media constantly evolving, it should come as no surprise to see those numbers climb in 2020, especially when businesses and their employees are always on their smartphones tweeting, updating statuses and hashtagging photos. Before combatting social media cyberattacks, it’s important to understand how they occur. Hackers will search Facebook timelines, Twitter feeds, followers, friends and Instagram hashtags to collect details about victims. They will then impersonate family members or close friends and message malicious links to victims.

How to Protect Your Business:

Luckily, different types of social media have privacy measures and they auto-block fishy profiles, however, from a business standpoint, corporations should conduct proper social media training. For starters, it’s important for employees to understand the impact that their personal profiles can have on their companies. They should be able to spot threats and react accordingly.

Limit admin access on all platforms to only those who truly need access. Require that employees not use their personal social media accounts while connected to company networks and encourage strong passwords on employee accounts. Most importantly, store company data in the cloud using Backup as a Service (BaaS) and Disaster Recovery as a Service (DRaaS) powered by Veeam Cloud Backup and Disaster Recovery. 

4. Deepfakes

Deepfakes are fabricated videos and audio that have emerged and will potentially threaten business security in 2020. Produced by artificial intelligence (AI), they are created by taking a video or piece of audio to replicate the subject with words and movements that are fake but appear to be real. They were originally meant to mock or poke fun at public figures like politicians and celebrities, however, there is a growing concern that this is another way to perform cybercrimes and damage corporations.

Like traditional phishing, cybercriminals can send deepfake videos through email and social media. As soon as the videos are clicked on, company networks are infected with malware and other possible viruses. Deepfake technology can also affect organizations through phone calls and video conferences. In doing so, hackers can impersonate company leaders by mimicking their voices and movements. These scenarios might seem far-fetched; however, they aren’t impossible. As technology gains intelligence, so will deepfakes, threatening the integrity of what is real versus fake.

How to Protect Your Business:

First and foremost, invest in Security as a Service (SECaaS). This all-in-one service provides comprehensive cybersecurity solutions. It can either be purchased as a bundle or in bits. Solutions like firewall protection, anti-virus, and managed security services will help protect your network, your endpoints, and your data from malicious intent brought on by social media breaches. Additionally, implementing a cybersecurity culture that puts security on the shoulders of every employee will help to reduce the number of human error-related breaches. Offer cybersecurity education that encompasses social media best practices and trains employees to recognize new trends like deepfakes. To identify a deepfake, pay close attention to facial movements, resolution quality, and sentence structure. Whether a phone call or a live video chat, be careful not to confuse weak cellphone service or a network interruption with a deepfake. If something doesn’t seem quite right, chances are it’s malicious.

Drones have gained popularity in the last few years with companies using them for aerial photography, construction, medical emergencies and delivery services. In fact, Amazon, Facebook and Google are seeing huge potential to expand wireless

Bottom Line

2020 will bring a whirlwind of technical advances and cybersecurity demands. Do your business a favor by protecting every single company platform and device with cloud security, and remember to stay current with cyberattack trends.Contact Us Today for more information

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