Cyber Security in 2021

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most organizations are transitioning into remote work culture, which, in turn, has given rise to cybersecurity risks. The ever-growing dependency on automated technology has made us vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Our cyber system's most susceptible entities are endpoint devices that include computers, routers, smart gadgets; cloud; and networks. Listed below are some of the cybersecurity threats to watch out for in 2021.

Fremont, CA: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, most organizations are transitioning into remote work culture, which, in turn, has given rise to cybersecurity risks. The ever-growing dependency on automated technology has made us vulnerable to cyber-attacks. Our cyber system's most susceptible entities are endpoint devices that include computers, routers, smart gadgets; cloud; and networks. There are various types of cybersecurity breaches occurring nowadays that can steal, manipulate, or delete sensitive data and credentials of a user—the most prominent ones being ransomware, phishing scams, and social engineering.  

Ransomware is one of the fastest-growing and perhaps the most malicious malware in existence. Today, companies' rapid adoption of cloud-based services provides a perfect window for cybercriminals to target SaaS (Software as a Service) data with ransomware. The majority of companies are already using cloud services such as Google Workspace, Microsoft Office 365, Salesforce, and DropBox for management and business operations. Any cyber-attack to these servers would mean that the threat actor gets a chance to accumulate a vast number of user data at a single go. For instance, Ragnar Locker is a new ransomware that specifically targets the systems running on Microsoft Windows. The malware first surfaced back in late 2019 and had compromised several networks ever since. Generally, Ragnar Locker is deployed manually by the threat actors by injecting a malicious module into a system capable of collecting sensitive user data and credentials and then uploading it to their servers. Post upload, the threat actors notify the victim about the attack and demand a ransom in return.

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Another cyber risk faced by individuals and organizations alike is phishing scams. Companies are now required to be aware of phishing attacks and know how to spot them if they wish to protect sensitive information. There are several kinds of phishing attacks, such as Deceptive phishing, Spear phishing, and more. In this pandemic, phishing scams have seen a significant rise; a report from Google states that phishing attacks have increased by 350%, from 149,195 in January 2020 to 522,495 within a couple of months.

Social Engineering refers to the tactics threat actors use as bait for users to get their sensitive credentials. When combined with the above threats, this tactic can prove extremely detrimental for businesses as it can compromise a whole enterprise. What makes social engineering a significant issue is that it largely depends on human error rather than software or operating system vulnerabilities.

While we may not be able to eradicate cyber-attacks from the face of the cyber world, we can manage it to an extent with the help of some strategies. One way to deal with this menace is to introduce a robust cybersecurity model of planning, preparing, and educating the employees regarding these issues by an organization. Another way of staying protected is to use the latest updates of software and hardware. Adding a firewall to one's system can also provide that extra layer of security against a possible malware attack.