With the number of recorded cyber attacks hitting an all-time high in 2018, the importance of implementing a concrete cybersecurity solution into your business has never been more paramount.
To help give you an idea of what to look out for and how to stay safe online in 2019, here are our top 5 cybersecurity threats for the year ahead.
1.Ransomware/Cryptojacking
In recent years, Ransomware has proven to be the most profitable form of malware, making it a hacker’s top priority – keeping us at risk for the foreseeable future.
However, whilst ransomware is certainly alive and kicking, the number of recorded attacks has somewhat stagnated in the past 12 months – boasting the good news that it’s no longer accelerating at such a pace.
Here comes the bad news. Ransomware has since taken a back seat to the well-documented and much-feared cryptojacking – where hackers have developed the taste for stealing digital currency right under the noses of businesses and organisations across the globe, a quick win for hackers.
However, the stagnation of Malware isn’t just down to the change of focus from hackers, it’s also down to the dedicated investment and constant flow of solutions being created to reduce and thwart Malware – thus also highlighting the importance of having a concrete cybersecurity solution in place.
Whilst there will always be a threat from new and more intelligent forms of ransomware, and no-doubt harder to prevent and detect – we don’t expect ransomware to explode in 2019, at least no bigger than the past year.
Why? There’s so much more on the horizon!
2.Internet of Things Attacks
In addition to the family favourite, the age-old Monopoly board – I’m almost certain the likes of the Amazon Echo, Google Home and iPhone made it to the top of your Christmas lists, but with the number of smart devices on the rise, the risk of an IoT attack is growing each day.
The IoT infrastructure is a plethora of intricate workings, making it a complex and near impossible thing to police. It’s a place where hackers can take control of many everyday things such as your phone, car, smartwatch, and if you’re unfortunate enough to have something like a pacemaker, they can even take control of this – going to the extremes and putting your life in danger with a ‘Pay or Die’ ransom scenario. Scary stuff!
But the same applies to your business, in fact, hackers have a lot more to yield by gaining access to your company’s network.
Imagine the havoc they could cause for your business with free rein to things like your CCTV network and given the ability to control your buildings access points? It’s not even worth thinking about!
The list is endless in terms of what they can control in and around your office or workplace; computers, phones, cameras, printers – in fact, anything connected to your network is at risk, so be sure to install some form of defence on your network and devices before it’s too late!
Whilst government officials work tirelessly to conjure up a way to regulate the forever growing IoT infrastructure, hackers will continue to take advantage of such a vulnerable environment, putting all of us at risk – so stay vigilant with your network and smart devices and put a concrete security solution in place!
3.The Trojan Horse
With the ransomware and cryptojacking scene becoming more and more complex by the day, hackers are turning back to earlier methods and techniques by using Trojans, more commonly known as the Trojan Horse.
Like the mythical Greek subterfuge, Trojans disguise themselves as what appears like legitimate everyday software and programs but are really just a front to gain access to your computer or device, taking control for a ransom.
Fake websites, programs and apps are everywhere, even on official outlets like the Apple Store and Google Play store, however, authorities are out in force and tend to catch them before things get out of hand.
If however, you do fall short to a Trojan attack, you could be subject to ransom where hackers disable your computer or laptop until a sum of money is paid, and/or delve into your personal user data and leak it.
There’s no restriction to what a Trojan may look like, making it extremely harder to detect – but if you think it looks suspicious, or that special offer is too good to be true, don’t click on it, as it probably is!
4.Supply Chain Attacks
Supply chain attacks have become more prominent in recent years, and are expected to continue throughout 2019 and the years to come.
A supply chain attack, also called a value-chain or third-party attack, takes place when a hacker accesses your network and/or infrastructure through an outside partner or third-party provider with access to your systems and database. And with many organisations now relying on third-party services to outsource specialist and everyday tasks, hackers are capitalising on this – putting businesses across the globe at risk.
Whilst having your own cybersecurity controls in place is essential, it still doesn’t stop the risk, only reducing it – so it’s imperative you chose who you partner with wisely!
5.The Eagerly Awaited 5G
5G is expected to be rolled out across the globe throughout the year, and whilst it will bring many benefits such as enhanced speeds, lower latency and improved efficiency – it will also bring many risks.
The vast and rapidly growing 5G network relies on virtualisation and cloud technologies, and with more and more people turning to remote working, a business’s entire infrastructure could be at risk of an attack.
Choosing to work remotely outside of your office’s secure network isn’t a bad thing, I mean who doesn’t want to work from home, and then there are those who need to work on the road, but hackers are smart – and they know an unprotected device is a gateway to your businesses network infrastructure.
In order to futureproof and protect yourself from attacks whilst working remotely, we recommend using something like Cisco’s Umbrella software, acting as the first line of defence against threats whilst remotely online. To get a FREE trial, click here, and we’ll get you set up in no time!
Whilst attacks on the 5G network are inevitable, the magnitude and scale of the risks that lie ahead are still not clear. However, one thing is for certain, authorities and industry leaders need to keep a close eye on the security of the 5G network in order to keep hackers at bay.
How Can I Prevent an Attack?
Like anything, prevention is better than the cure – so do you really want to wait until after an attack has happened before you realise the level of seriousness and the detriment it could have on your business? That’s if you still have a business at that point of course!
Former Cisco CEO, John Chambers once said,
“There are two types of companies: those that have been hacked, and those who don’t yet know they have been hacked.”
So you’re probably thinking to yourself ‘what’s the solution then?’, well, let me introduce you to Umbrella from our friends at Cisco.
As the industry’s first Secure Internet Gateway in the cloud, Cisco Umbrella provides the first line of defence against threats on the internet. And because Umbrella is delivered from the cloud, it is the easiest way to protect all of your users in a matter of minutes.
Pretty impressive, isn’t it?
Well as a Premier Partner of Cisco, we can offer you a FREE 14 day trial of Umbrella.
Here’s what you’ll get:
- Threat protection like no other — block malware, C2 callbacks, and phishing.
- Predictive intelligence — automates threat protection by uncovering attacks before they launch.
- Worldwide coverage in minutes — no hardware to install or software to maintain.
- Weekly security report — get a personalized summary of malicious requests & more, directly to your inbox.
- 1,000+ users? — You’re eligible for the Umbrella Security Report, a detailed post-trial analysis.
Get started in 30 seconds. No credit card details required, no lengthy form-filling, simply click the link below and we’ll get you set up right away – no catch, it’s as simple as that.
Still Need Convincing?
Do you still think you’re invincible? Don’t think it will happen to you?
Send us your details below and get a FREE Cybersecurity Consultation!.
We’ll carry out a FREE no-obligation consultation at your business and examine your existing infrastructure and security network(s). As well as examine what you’re currently doing, we will advise on how you can best protect your data – and help prepare you and your business for the imminent threat of a cyberattack.
Don’t take the risk, get in touch today!
