Cybercrime rates have only increased with the internet becoming as advanced as it is today. Businesses of all sizes, particularly small and medium-sized businesses, often ignore these threats, but statistics show that they form 46% of the targets of most cybercriminals.
This is why it becomes crucial to understand the factors that could lead to a data breach and what you could potentially do to prevent one.
Compromised Login Credentials
Compromised login credentials are possibly the easiest way for a cybercriminal to breach an organization’s network and data. In fact, stolen credentials account for almost 61% of the cause of most cyberattacks, making it ever so important that organizations implement means to prevent this from happening.
Organizations must implement a policy requiring strong and unique passwords, the use of a password manager, multiple means of authentication, and the routine switching up of passwords, say once every three months.
Social Engineering
Social engineering is one of the most popular means for cybercriminals to gain access to sensitive information. One of the most common methods is a phishing attack, in which the attacker pretends to be someone else—for example, the IT technician at your organization—and then forces you to share login credentials under the guise of resolving a major internal issue.
Organizations ensure their workforce is aware of such common social engineering tactics while following other precautions, such as not opening suspicious emails, using multi-factor authentication, etc.
Malware
Malware is yet another potent tool that hackers often use to orchestrate a data breach. It typically comprises software such as ransomware, spyware, adware, or computer viruses.
Some of the best ways to protect your organization from a malware attack are to use good quality anti-malware or antivirus software, create awareness about identifying suspicious emails and communications, install security patches in a timely fashion, and regularly back up your data.
Security Vulnerabilities
While external operators and factors account for a significant chunk of the risk to an organization’s safety, several internal factors also play a role. Negligence to eradicate security vulnerabilities is one of them. Smaller organizations often ignore critical details such as updating software and applications and installing security patches on time, all of which can create the ideal environment for hackers to take advantage of.
Insider Threats
Lastly, insider threats can also pose a significant risk to your organization’s data. These could include employees, ex-employees, contractors, or other third parties with access to your networks. According to a 2021 study, insider threats account for almost 21% of all security threats.
Organizations can protect themselves from such threats in several ways. These ways include implementing the zero-trust security model, giving employees the least privileges to perform their tasks, regularly changing credentials, especially when employees leave the organization, removing unused accounts, and more.
Protecting your organization’s data ensures its smooth functioning over time. Several causes can lead to security breaches, and there are various steps you can take to prevent them. Using the right IT solutions to streamline your operations is one such solution, and MooIT Solutions is one such organization that can help.
We can help you streamline your business operations, minimize downtime, and maximize productivity. Data security is critical in today’s world and should not be overlooked. Taking the right security measures in time can help ensure your organization remains safe despite today’s increasing cybercrime rates.
