Every year, phishing attacks become more widespread and dangerous. According to the FBI, phishing was the most common cyberattack in 2020, and 241,324 phishing incidents were reported in that same year — that's more than double the 114,702 incidents reported in 2019! What’s even worse is cybercriminals are taking advantage of the COVID-19 pandemic to find new phishing victims.
If you think cybersecurity protection is only for large enterprises, think again. More and more cybercriminals are targeting small- and mid-sized businesses because of their lack of proper cybersecurity solutions. Viruses, ransomware, and other types of malware are also becoming more dangerous.
A common mistake people make when setting passwords is using simple words, names, or their personal information. This behavior makes it easy for cybercriminals to infiltrate people’s accounts.
This is why the National Institute of Standards and Technology is discouraging the use of such passwords.
Many people believe that high-profile cybercriminals typically cause data breaches. However, the reality is that the culprit is closer than you think. According to the 2020 Cost of Insider Threats report by the Ponemon Institute, negligent employees are responsible for 62% of all data breaches.
Bring your own device (BYOD) policies give employees the flexibility to use devices they are comfortable with while allowing businesses to reduce hardware spending. However, BYOD also carries plenty of security risks.
Loss or theft of devices – Employees often bring their personal devices wherever they go.
Some of the most well-known companies in the world, including Sony Pictures, Home Depot, Adobe, and eBay, have been victims of cyberattacks. While major corporations like these are high-profile targets for hackers, small- and medium-sized businesses are not exempt from data breaches.
Multifactor authentication (MFA) is a security solution that identifies users via two or more verification factors when logging in to their online account. These factors typically include:
Something they have, like a one-time passcode (OTP) sent to a smartphone
Something they know, like a password
Something they are, like a fingerprint or retinal scan
MFA is an ideal way to protect user accounts from cyberattacks.
Caller ID technology allows users to see the caller’s phone number (and sometimes the name) before they pick up. The technology is employed in smartphones, Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) lines, and landline phones with alphanumeric displays.
Caller ID makes it easy for people to screen phone calls and answer only the important ones.
Cybercriminals are getting more creative in infecting computers with malware, and users must step up in order to protect their devices. To stay one step ahead of cybercriminals, you should learn more about their more insidious tricks such as watering hole attacks.
While passwords are undoubtedly the most common factor used to verify a user’s identity today, they are the least secure authentication method. They can easily be stolen, hacked, or compromised, which puts businesses at risk. In fact, the number of corporate credentials exposed on the dark web has increased by 429% since March 2020.
To solve the password problem, many organizations are turning to passwordless authentication.
