Do Your Part: #BeCyberSmart
Everyone has an individual responsibility to help keep our connected world secure.
What that looks like may vary based on your job or age, but the importance never changes.
Did you know:
- The average total cost of a data breach in 2020 was $3.86 million and took an average of 280 days to identify and contain. (IBM)
- The use of new breach techniques has boomed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 35% of breaches leveraging new techniques in 2020. (Cynet)
- 88% of data breaches are caused by human error. (Tessian)
If everyone does their part — implementing stronger security practices, raising community awareness, educating vulnerable audiences, and training employees — our interconnected world will be safer and more secure for everyone.
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The effort is co-led by the National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA) and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) under the Department of Homeland Security.
During the month, we’ll be sharing important ways you can be #cybersmart when you’re online.
Don’t get lazy: Be cyber smart
As virtually all personal and business data is kept on internet-connected platforms, they can become a gold mine for bad actors.
Did you know:
- 61% of data breaches used compromised credentials. (Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report)
- 56% of IT leaders believe their employees have picked up bad cybersecurity behaviors since working from home. (Tessian)
- More than 99.9% of Microsoft enterprise accounts that get invaded by attackers didn’t use multi-factor authentication. (ZDNet)
Make sure that you embrace the basics of security to protect your cyber presence.
Creating strong passwords and using multi-factor authentication, backing up your data, and updating your software are great places to start.
Stay diligent: Fight the phish
Phishing attacks and scams have thrived since the COVID pandemic began in 2020 and today, phishing attacks account for more than 80% of reported security incidents.
Did you know:
- Malware increased by 358% in 2020. (Help Net Security)
- According to the FBI, phishing was the most common type of cybercrime in 2020, with the bureau receiving 241,342 complaints in 2020. (FBI)
Think before you click on any suspicious emails, links or attachments and make sure to report any suspicious emails.
Put cybersecurity first at work
For businesses, this means building security into products and processes. Make cybersecurity training a part of employee onboarding and equip staff with the tools they need to keep the organization safe.
For individuals, keep cybersecurity at the forefront of your mind as you connect daily. Before purchasing a device or online product, do your research. When you set up a new device or app, consider your security and privacy settings and update default passwords.
Did you know:
- Nearly two-thirds of companies have 1,000+ sensitive files open to every employee. (Varonis)
- The IoT devices market is anticipated to reach $1.1 trillion by 2026. (Fortune Business Insights)
- Global spend on cybersecurity is set to cross $60 billion in 2021. (Canalys)
Cybersecurity should not be an afterthought.
Get expert security advice to keep your information safe
As a Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion, you can count on the team at Cyber Solutions Technologies to keep cybersecurity for your business our #1 priority.
Follow along on LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter during the month of October to discover all of the ways you can be #cybersmart.
If you’d like more information about how to keep your business safe, contact us today for an expert consultation.