Since the pandemic emerged, companies have become increasingly vulnerable to hacker attacks. We’ve learned that businesses faced a “cyber-pandemic” in 2020, with experts observing an increase in leaked data, phishing emails, account takeovers, malware downloads, and ransomware. In July 2021, an attack on Kaseya resulted in 800-1,500 organizations across the planet suffering from ransomware. Businesses targeted by malware often take a week to recover their data. Some companies fail to get back their sensitive information altogether. Where does the solution lie? As cyber-criminals have become experienced, a company requires modernization to encounter them, i.e., investing in cybersecurity technologies.
Cybersecurity technologies for business in 2021
The world’s changing, and people have brought their affairs from the real world to the digital one. From criminals to terrorists, everyone’s made social media their playground. Kirstjen Nielsen – the secretary of homeland security until 2019 – has already warned us that the next 9/11 will happen online instead of in the physical realm. That’s why companies must prepare themselves to enhance their cybersecurity. Today, we have several applications and software programs that can help businesses and organizations boost their security and protect their information from hackers. Here, we’ll mention some technologies that seem proper for small firms. Investing in these facilities allows you to minimize data leaks/breaches:
#1 Distance learning
You can leverage distance learning to train your employees to become cybersecurity professionals. With the help of e-learning opportunities, you can train well-qualified experts to counter attacks while minimizing threats to your company. So, how long does it take to get a cybersecurity degree from a reputable institute? It takes twelve months, whereas the flexible nature of online education won’t prevent your workers from serving your company. Employees don’t have to commute to the university and they can select their hours as they please. Specialized higher education ensures that your organization has gathered skilled experts to protect your data from cyber-criminals. So, use technology to boost your workers’ know-how about cybersecurity.
#2 Blockchain integration
It’s assumed that blockchain’s exclusive to cryptocurrency. Many financial industries have found this technology to be safer than usual record-keeping systems. It’s a distributed and immutable ledger to ensure nobody can manipulate the data it contains. Being decentralized, every computer connected to this “chain” possesses a copy of the data. Unless a large number of computers are hacked, it’s not possible to cause any data loss. That’s why blockchain integration services seem like the banking industry’s next hope. It offers transparency and ensures that transactions are irreversible.
#3 Multifactor authentication
You can enhance your accounts’ security during the sign-in process by enabling this facility. Using multifactor authentication ensures that hackers can’t access your avatar even if they’ve cracked the passcode. From banking institutes to healthcare departments, businesses have now adopted 2FA as a must-have security blanket. Hence, you can get an SMS alert whenever someone tries to bypass security. This additional security check has reduced the risk of identity theft for many companies.
#4 Behavioral analytics
Marketers are well-aware of behavior analytics since this technology can identify the targeted audiences for a specific campaign. But now, this technology’s being used to identify potential threats to organizations’ cybersecurity. For instance, a particular device sending an abnormal amount of data can mean a possible cyber-attack. Companies can leverage this information to prepare for an attack. So, here’s technology you can experiment with to predict when a hacker will strike.
#5 Cloud security
Companies shouldn’t neglect to keep backups to prevent data loss. Now, businesses can store their information on the cloud for permanent safekeeping. Using cloud-based applications will ensure that your data doesn’t get missing forever, even if it’s corrupted in a cyber-attack. These cloud-based systems are accessible, scalable, and cost-effective. Nowadays, these applications have built-in safeguards that prevent hackers from infiltrating your data and manipulating any vulnerabilities.
#6 Biometric verification
We’re living in the age of facial imaging, fingerprint sensors, iris scanning, and voice recognition. You can utilize these technologies to minimize a hacker’s access to your data. Businesses can implement device-embedded biometric verification measures to improve the security of a device used by the owner. This device should have extraction and comparison software applications to learn who you are and give access to you based on your biological features. It can enhance security by manifold.
#7 Zero-Trust model
Another technology that’s become well-accepted among some organizations goes by “zero-trust.” It states that organizations shouldn’t trust anyone asking permission for access – internally and externally. Thus, companies should always verify all users, devices, and applications before giving access. So, this model recognizes trust as a vulnerability. By this logic, ZTNA even considers previously verified devices as potential threats as well. This lack of trust seems rude but works against hackers too. So, your visibility increases with this model while the enterprise can simplify IT management. You can secure your remote workforce with this strategy while streamlining the access granted to users.
#8 Machine learning
Google used TensorFlow, its machine learning platform, to block 100 million extra spam mails daily in 2019. Similarly, many tech giants have adopted AI to reduce phishing and enhance their cybersecurity. Traditional cybersecurity measures can’t stop complex attacks, e.g., obfuscation. However, AI-powered security solutions can counter these attacks with minimum human intervention. Thanks to artificial intelligence, business owners now have watchdogs that stay vigilant 24/7 and don’t make mistakes a hacker’s expecting humans to repeat. By automating routine cybersecurity functions, you can boost your protection and identify abnormalities before they become a big problem for your servers.
Conclusion
Statistics about hacker attacks are terrifying! It’s estimated that there’s a cyber-attack every 39 seconds. Moreover, 43% of hackers often choose small firms as their target. That’s why we have several highly-paid cybersecurity jobs now to help companies prevent/survive these attacks. From a security architect to malware analyst, you can train/hire experts to protect your business from digital criminals. These professionals often ask employers to invest in technologies to enhance the company’s cybersecurity. Behavior analytics, artificial intelligence, and two-factor authentication are technologies that keep your data well-protected. From firewalls to blockchain, you can experiment with different options to make your information sufficiently secure.
