We are all hoping that 2021 brings a brighter future. Let’s dive into the top cybersecurity 2021 trends that we need to look out for.
The first part of 2021 represents cybersecurity crossroads. Some business owners started to shift back into the office. Meanwhile, other companies decided to continue remote work.
Whatever the case is, 2021 gives hackers tons of opportunities due to our increased reliance on technology. Hackers use methods that become increasingly complex and harder to notice. Thus, it is crucial that you pay close attention to these cybersecurity 2021 trends.
Remote working is now just work
A Gartner survey shows that 64% of employees now work from home. Before, only C-level executives can avail this luxury. Yet, WFH is now widely available. This just means that companies must totally reboot their security policies and tools to better mitigate the risks.
Work-from-home Attacks
This major cybersecurity trend started in 2020 and won’t go away anytime from now. The WFH setup opened the way for new information security threats. The bars for entry are certainly lower. Some of the main reasons are the use of mixed personal and professional networks, and privileged credential compromise.
Hackers only need a matter of time to multiple, insecure home networks. Such attacks could breach critical services and systems. It’s not hard to see why. As mentioned, remote workers use their home broadband connections for both personal and professional uses.
Ransomware Will Continue To Be The #1 Threat
Ransomware has affected many companies over the past few years. This is a type of malware that denies system administrators and users access to files. Afterward, hackers will demand a “ransom”, usually in Bitcoin, in exchange for the release of the files.
In 2020, ransomware caused the death of a woman in Germany. The woman was in urgent need of medical attention. However, the hospital where she was initially brought in can’t treat patients because ransomware locked their systems.
The woman was rerouted to a neighboring hospital 20 miles away but did not survive.
The healthcare industry is one of the most vulnerable industries. One reason is Personal Health Information (PHI) costs hundreds of dollars per record. Furthermore, many health institutions only practice cybersecurity for compliance and not for proper cyber hygiene.
Ransomware is still a core part of cybersecurity 2021 trends and beyond. Moreover, it is projected that it will hit other industries such as transportation and education.
Vendor consolidation
Most security leaders today have too many tools. For instance, 78% of CISOs have 16 or more cybersecurity tools. Furthermore, 12% said that they have 46 or more. Indeed, having tools is a great thing.
However, having too many security vendors unnecessarily increases the complexity of security operations. Additionally, it increases the security headcount.
Organizations acknowledge vendor consolidation as a way to reduce costs and increase security. In fact, 80% of organizations are interested in this strategy. Yet, take note that the rollout of this strategy takes years. But the process is worth it as it also streamlines operations.
