With the evolution of digital technologies, the risk of cyber security has risen for companies. In 2021, businesses suffered 50% more cyber attack attempts per week, according to Dark Reading.
There are many current stats that will shock you in today’s cyber crime.
This article has covered everything about cyber security and numerous ways that affect cyber security.
Let’s get started.
📌 Table of Contents
- What is cyber security
- How technology is influencing cyber security
- Cyber security challenges and their solutions
- Role of technology in Zero Trust Security
What is Cyber Security?
Cyber security is the activity of safeguarding technology that secures equipment and devices from cyberattacks. It is also known as IT security that works as a shield against threats and cyber attacks to protect data, system, devices and computers.
Cyberattacks aim to steal confidential and personal information of an individual or organization to make illegal benefits and that’s why, many businesses have shifted to cybersecurity tools for protecting their essential data.
8 Ways Technology is Influencing Cyber Security
With the advancement of technology, security issues among individuals and enterprises have risen. There are many ways in which technology is affecting cyber security, including:
1. Enterprise Security Breaches
The biggest way technology influences cyber security is the breach of enterprise security. Hackers today are using advanced technologies to manipulate enterprise employees and get confidential information from them. Such hackers often use methods after detecting the loopholes in the enterprise security systems.
2. Spear Phishing
Spear Phishing is a new method for targeting businesses to gain private information. Under the spear phishing method, cybercriminals target employees via emails. This practice aims to steal confidential information and money from enterprise employees.
The emails that come under the spear phishing practice seem to be sent from a colleague.
Due to such reasons, the employees who receive the email can easily trust the email content. For adopting this practice, the hackers generally use advanced techniques to seem like enterprise employees.
Such hackers use this technique to disguise the email address and look similar to the organization’s email. Most enterprise employees trust these emails and end up providing confidential information to these hackers.
3. Social Media Security Risks
Social media have become one of the most used platforms in the digital space. Today, users are entering their complete personal information on these platforms. With the advancement of technology, hackers can easily hack the account of a known person and use personal information for their benefit.
Even the organization’s and its employee’s social media accounts have come to risk. Most users today even use mobile phones or smartphones to surf social media, which brings their personal information at huge risk.
Relevant read: Learn about the top technology trends and their career opportunities
4. Digitalization of Data
Digitalizing the data has also created a new way to impose a security threat on the users. In today’s time, most enterprises and governments are relying on digitized information. Such digitalization requires a robust cyber security system. But hackers now have found new technologies to break such security systems.
Businesses are heading towards cloud computing and networks that impose serious security risks. These channels are easy to get intruded on by hackers.
But with the help of better technology and cloud security systems, businesses can protect essential information from hackers.
5. Botnets Attacks
Hackers’ use of advancement botnets is now prevailing in the digital space. Earlier, hackers used a combination of an organization’s spread of spam messages and viruses to an organization’s system, which was part of botnets.
But with the advancement of technologies, hackers have also started using advantage techniques to capture personal information.
With the help of information gained through advanced botnets, criminals can take down the networks or systems of a company, and it can also lead to bringing business to the end of bankruptcy. However, an organization needs to have a robust security system to prevent botnets.
6. Malware Attacks
A malware attack is a common cybersecurity attack prevailing in the digital space. Under the malware attack, the attackers can access the computer system of an organization or a business. With access to a computer system, the attackers spread viruses, computer horses, and Trojan horses to the system. This allows the hackers to access the information of the users.
In this way, technology is imposing a big threat to the cybersecurity of all users. However, a business can easily protect the system from malware attacks with a good cybersecurity system.
7. MIM Attacks
The full form of MIM is Man-in-the-Middle. This type of cybersecurity threat is new to users and organizations. Under the MIM Attack, an intruder can intrude into the conversation of 2 or more people. With this type of cyber attack, it is easier for the hackers to know all the communication between those two users. This type of method is among the serious breaches of personal data security.
With such a hold over the communication between two people, it is easier for attackers to impede voice or text data exchange between them. This method is possible because of the better technology available. Organizations and governments must protect their data and conversation with a better security system.
8. Hacktivism
Hacktivism is a new way in which technology is influencing cyber security. Under this method, cybercriminals try to hack the information for social or political purposes. This kind of hacking becomes possible with the use of newer technologies and tricks cybercriminals use.
Hackers are most interested in accessing the crucial details of an organization, business, agencies, and other VIP individuals. A business can be more prone to hacktivism if they belong to any supreme industry.
For instance, government agencies are more prone to this practice.
Cyber Security Challenges and How Technology Helps In Solving Them
After learning about how technology influences cybersecurity, now let’s discuss the challenges of cyber security. Advanced technology can also act as a solution if there are major challenges.
Here are the cyber security challenges and their solutions:
1. Ransomware Attacks
Problem: Ransomware attacks are attacks where a user’s data is hacked by attackers and prevents them from using the data. Users can access their data only when a ransom amount is paid to the attacker. These attacks are more challenging for businesses that need access to run their daily operations.
Solution: The solution to this challenge is to deploy technology or tools that can help businesses to have backups effectively. Use firewall technology, anti-virus protection, and browser & download protection to cope with this challenge.
A business should also update the network regularly. In addition to it, make sure to train your IT professionals about ransomware attacks.
2. Phishing Attacks
Problem: Another cybersecurity challenge is protecting the company’s data from phishing attacks. It is difficult to protect the company’s systems from fraud emails. Phishing attacks are done to steal confidential information about the company.
Solution: The solution for overcoming the phishing attacks challenge is to set technical barriers to emails. For instance, use protocols like SPF, DMARC, and DKIM to authorize the receiver’s address. This will help in preventing phishing attacks.
3. IoT Attacks
Problem: IoT attacks are also among the common challenges for cybersecurity. Preventing the information of the company on IoT devices is difficult. These IoT devices include smartphones, laptops, mobile devices, or smart security devices. There are various technologies available that can lead hackers to attack these devices.
Solution: The solution to overcome the IoT Attacks challenge is to use some ways to keep the devices protected. These methods include strong passwords, making router setting changes, and keeping the devices updated with each version.
4. Machine learning and AI Attacks
Problem: Today, the use of machine learning and artificial Intelligence (AI) are highly adopted by businesses. But the high adoption of these technologies imposes another cybersecurity challenge to the business. Hackers can also use machine learning and AI to intrude into the company’s systems. These types of attacks aim to get high-value information from the companies.
Solution: The solution for overcoming this challenge is securely using AI and machine learning activities. Make sure to scan a massive amount of data through AI and detect unknown threats.
5. Old Hardware
Problem: Another major challenge in a business’s cybersecurity is using old hardware. It is so because many companies use hardware that is still old for new technologies. Hardware not supporting the latest updates will make it more prone to cyber-attacks.
Solution: To overcome this, use hardware that can support the latest updates. If you are using old hardware, it is better to replace it to protect it with efficient software and technologies.
Role of Technology in Zero Trust Security Strategy
The global market size of Zero Trust Security is expected to hit $60.7 billion by 2027, according to marketsandmarkets. Zero trust security authorized users before granting them access to confidential information about the company or individual.
As per this strategy, no user can be trusted by default as they can comprise security for their benefit.
For implementing the Zero trust security strategy in a business, the company’s IT department chooses to use the Zero Trust Network Access systems.
Using this technology, a business can set up end-to-end encrypted connections between devices. This technology has good infrastructure and services for providing security to business data. Therefore, a business should prefer this strategy to secure its data better.
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