Cyber Security Threats

Are you a small or medium-sized business near Gilbert, Arizona?

Like most businesses, you were probably forced to adapt to remote work last year. You might be facing much of the same in 2021. Have you considered how secure your data is as you adapt to new ways of accessing your system in the cloud? The FBI observed a fourfold increase in cybercrime reports during the Covid-19 outbreak. What’s more, cyber security threats are likely to increase in 2021 with the state of the world being delicate due to a global pandemic. That is unless companies tackle the unique IT challenges of a remote workforce. If you want to secure your business from digital thieves, you need to think about outsourcing your IT department. We’re going to highlight the main internet security threats in 2021 and let you know how you can deal with them. Read on!

Remote Workers

The pace of change was breath-taking last year, as internal IT departments struggled to adapt to remote work. Systems built around in-house security are now confronted with new and emerging threats. Often, businesses didn’t have the time, resources, or expertise to stay secure. Remote workers remain a key threat in 2021 unless companies can fix the system vulnerabilities of telecommuting. One major cause for concern is users not connecting to a virtual private network (VPN) to safely access company data. The physical devices being used for work are also of great concern for cybersecurity reasons. Businesses that want the highest levels of security need to issue cyber-secure computers to their employees. Allowing employees to connect to unsecured home Wi-Fi networks with personal laptops is a serious risk. Malware and keyloggers may already exist on their machines, or they could be hacked more easily in a targeted attack.

Internal Threats

Insider threats in cyber security are silent and insidious. Some of the best IT systems can fail to prevent such attacks because employees are not typically viewed as suspicious parties. With the loss of revenue in so many industries, many businesses have been forced to let employees go in 2020. This trend may continue in 2021, making for potentially disgruntled employees. Current employees have also been know to commit data breaches, whether on purpose or otherwise. You need to think about replacing or augmenting your IT solutions with the expertise of an external managed service provider (MSP). Have systems in place to track and restrict access to sensitive data. You can reduce or end the risk of insider threat in 2021. An outsourced IT department can use the latest tools to track and secure your company data in regards to suspicious activity.

Cloud Service Attacks

Businesses that moved their data partially or fully to cloud services did so quickly in 2020. Often, this was done without having the cloud service options reviewed by cloud IT specialists. A non-secure cloud service may lead to a targeted attack that is easy to execute. An attack may also come from a data breach, where a non-secure cloud service is hacked, exposing sensitive company data. A Phoenix outsourced IT department may have survived the cyber security threats in 2020 better than competitors. This is because experienced MSP’s are likely to be cloud migration experts. Your organization is under pressure to deliver a cloud-first strategy. You must always ensure it is both managed and secured by a qualified IT consultant. The National Security Agency (NSA) recognizes that cloud adoption can enhance organizational security. They also point out that cloud services can introduce risks. These risks need addressing, both before procurement and during operation.

Targeted Attacks

What do cybercriminals do with the data hacked from non-secure connections and cloud migrations? Sometimes, this data might be used to power even more targeted attacks. Employees are often using open channels to communicate for work. Thus, social engineering presents real risks. The more the hacker learns about the business and its employees, the easier it is to trick one of them into letting their guard down. An open door into a company IT system may present full and unchallenged access to company and client data – a horrifying prospect. Often, cyber attacks aren’t needing to rely on executable files but are using system tools as a backdoor instead. This makes them very hard to detect since these system processes are not usually considered malicious. Another type of targeted attack that’s being seen affects business processes themselves. After hacking into business systems, thieves could alter payee data, for example. With automated payments, this means that criminals could redirect business funds to a rouge account. This action may even go unnoticed for some time before it’s investigated and the hack uncovered.

Google cloud experts in Phoenix know how to keep your sensitive data secure within cloud computing services. We can take care of your networking, server maintenance, and software implementations. We also specialize in system development, desktop support, business intelligence, and more.

Artificial Intelligence

Cybersecurity experts are noticing an increase in malware and other attacks that rely on automation. The process of automating cyberattacks also allows criminals to cast a larger net. Artificial intelligence (AI) is also being used more often in cybercrimes. Machine learning is a subset of AI, giving systems the ability to learn and improve without re-programming. When automated attacks deliver successful results, they get even better at exploiting vulnerabilities. The good news is that AI and machine learning are used by cybersecurity experts too. The best Arizona MSP will leverage current technologies to support your business. Managed IT services provide the knowledge and experience that can save you both time and money. Does your business need a digital transformation? Make sure you have safe on-site IT solutions and secure cloud infrastructure.

We’ve shown that cyber security threats are getting ever more complex. Don’t let cybercriminals use AI tools to automate attacks against your business. If you’re a company near Gilbert, Phoenix, we can help you. We empower businesses by delivering technology-based solutions. We offer Arizona business IT support to companies wishing to outsource IT or replace an MSP. Contact us today to set up a free consultation.