Running a business has always been a challenge, but the ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape has made it even more so. Every day, newer, more sophisticated cyberthreats emerge, putting businesses at risk of significant data, productivity, and financial losses.

Ransomware is one of the most dangerous threats to businesses today. In fact, according to Cybersecurity Ventures, global ransomware damage costs are predicted to exceed $265 billion by 2031, as ransomware perpetrators progressively refine their malware payloads and related extortion activities

Ransomware is primarily known to work by encrypting a computer’s local file system, preventing a user from accessing their data until a ransom is paid.

If you think your email is safe from hackers, think again. A lack of sufficient email security protocols can lead to data theft, unauthorized access to sensitive information, and successful malware attacks. Here are some tips to secure your email account from cyberthreats and the many troubles that come with them.

There’s a popular notion that Macs are more secure than Windows devices. It must be noted, however, that as of June 2021, macOS only has a 15.56% share of the desktop market, which is significantly smaller than Windows’ 72.98%. Therefore, the lower number of reported attacks on Macs can be attributed to their OS’s smaller user base.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) created many of the password best practices you probably loathe, including using a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. The NIST now says those guidelines were ill-advised and has changed its stance.

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.