It is clear to see that the world is changing. And as the world continues its struggle against the coronavirus there will undoubtedly be more businesses threatened, industries in decline and additional job losses.
In the face of all the doom and gloom, the tech sector has found itself to be a shining beacon of hope and has emerged relatively unscathed, largely because transitioning from the office to a home setup has been relatively easy. However, as with most things in life, it will not last forever. According to a recent BBC article, there are increasing numbers of cyber-attacks being reported among home workers and the trend is continuing in an upward direction.
The Threat from Cybercriminals Is Continuing to Grow
IT Security professionals employed by SMEs up and down the country have highlighted the continued and sustained attacks on their infrastructure. A recurring theme seems to be phishing and other attacks based on social engineering. Dark reading a leading internet security website suggests that attackers have effectively doubled down on phishing and ransomware attacks in 2021.
People have been harassed with spam consistently, almost overwhelming their email accounts and messenger platforms. These attacks have become so persistent that eyebrows are starting to rise among specialists in the industry, leading many to wonder what could be next on the horizon.
The problem is many firms have still not identified the severity of the issue and are depending on internal solutions that are not fit for purpose. Occasionally, some employees with little-to-no IT skills are left to manage their internet security themselves—instead of being provided with expert outsourced solutions.
The Ransomware Issue
Individuals are being continually subjected to sophisticated ransomware attacks, but some major brands are also falling victim. A recent example is the ransomware attack CD Projekt Red the household name behind Cyberpunk 2077. The company revealed a ransom note left by the hackers who threatened and then subsequently leaked source code from many of their most popular titles.
Business Data Loss – the Root Cause
Most organisations that implement an adequate backup system can mitigate many of the risks attributed to ransomware, but data leaks are a little more difficult to guard against. Some organisations are extremely vulnerable to data leaks and their data in the wrong hands could cause irreversible damage.
Working from Home Is the New Normal
It does not do anybody any good to turn a blind eye to the seriousness of the situation. As more people adopt a working from home lifestyle the industry must make some sweeping fundamental changes to ensure their assets are secured and protected against cybercriminals.
Business owners must look to the future and those who are not offered adequate security will surely need it sooner rather than later. Additionally, IT security must keep up with these nimble criminals who are continually adapting sophisticated schemes to find new cracks and vulnerabilities in humble home office infrastructure.
Potential Fixes
Issuing and utilising business owned assets is one strong suggestion, as they can be better tracked and updated with the latest protection. Organisations take a severe risk when they allow employees to use their personal computers for work purposes. Not only do workers often allow their anti-virus and malware protection to expire but their personal computers were not part of the original thought process when the organisation conceived its IT security protocol and inevitably it just becomes an unintended weak point.
Additionally, the utilisation of VPNs can afford some protection, but they have limited benefit. A VPN does little to solve the serious issues the world is facing. They only mitigate minor snooping and do little to thwart a deliberate and concerted attack. Still, it is always better to use a VPN than to use nothing.
Timely Consulting from a Specialist Is the Best Option
To give your organisation the best possible chance of facing these threats it is best to work with a professional team of IT specialists. While they can be expensive, they can be significantly cheaper than the alternative—a massive data breach.
The past year has demonstrated that corporations are just as susceptible as individuals and often they go hand in hand.
How we can help your organisation
First, ask yourself if your organisation handles data that could have potential value to criminals and then ask yourself if it is worth the risk to just look the other way.
We understand the current climate and have helped organisations of all sizes develop and implement robust IT security measures. We can help to design the best solution for you and your business and ensure you stay in front of the threat. As mentioned earlier, the sooner you contact us the quicker you can mitigate the risk of criminals who are out to steal your data and use it against you.
About EC-MSP, your IT support partner
EC-MSP are one of the most trusted IT support providers in London. If you would like more help advice and support with technology for your business, contact us today to see how we can help.
