‘Top 5 Cybersecurity Lessons Learned In 2021
Threats to cybersecurity continue to grow even in 2021, and organizations need to adopt stringent measures to avoid falling victims to a cybersecurity attack. The world may be emerging from a pandemic, but needs to ensure it keeps a cybersecurity pandemic at bay. There’s no doubt 2021 has taught us several lessons.
Here are the significant cyber-security lessons learned in 2021:
1. Build awareness of cyber-security
Even as most employees changed to working from home, cyber-attackers didn’t give them space for the transition. Instead, they became more aggressive and used COVID-19 as a weapon for their attacks. Your organization needs to create cyber-security awareness and train its employees on how to handle potential cyber-attacks.
You can implement modern spam-filter technologies that are quite useful in fighting and thwarting phishing attacks. These technologies help identify suspicious messages and keep them out of your organization’s inbox. You’ll want to enable multi-factor authentication for all remote workers.
2. Secure data in and outside the organization
Phishing attacks are some of the most popular cyber threats facing remote workers in many organizations. Many organizations have only invested in the security systems within the four walls. Your company will also need to create cyber security strategies that protect your data when employees are connected to outside networks.
Your employees need to be alert to any phishing scams sent to them through mail. You’ll need to secure all organizational tools, including communication and technological facilities. You can use password managers when encrypting your data and other credentials. You should also update your software regularly.
3. Cloud delivery is the new normal
As the pandemic ebbed, most employees moved back to their onsite offices to resume work. The emergence of coronavirus has brought about working structures of the organization moving to another location, leaving behind some devices and networks. In order to implement security software, you’ll need to consider cloud applications, machine learning, and other automation.
You may want to consider cybersecurity modernization as an important investment for your company. You can partner or collaborate with cybersecurity experts to secure your company with the latest information security techniques, cyber threats, and updated security tools.
4. Advance security systems
The networks, systems and devices of organizations need to be updated. Cybercriminals are coming up with advanced threats and it may be easy for them to perform the attack if your organization’s system is not upgraded. You can consider launching 5G network-enabled devices for your company. You’ll need to hire cyber-security experts to help upgrade your security systems based on the current and expected threats.
You should also reassess your organization’s IT security architecture as you support remote access and remote workers. You can also address new waves of cyber threats through bring-your-own-device policies as well as update remote access for new workers.
5. Embrace telemedicine and distance learning
In 2021, most students and patients were unable to access education and healthcare. Most of these institutions have been major targets for ransomware where the cyber-attackers encrypt the victim’s network or files and you need a ransom to restore access. Schools and hospitals need to update cyber-security risk assessment for tools used in distance learning and telemedicine.
Cybersecurity remains a major concern for businesses and organizations in 2021 and beyond. A cyber-attack can devastate your business, and result in massive losses, so you need to take water-tight measures to prevent it from occurring. But you can leverage the lessons 2021 has taught us to propel your cybersecurity measures to the next level.
If you have no idea where to begin, you can partner with Veltec Networks to strengthen your cybersecurity systems. We have the professionalism and experience, as well as the necessary infrastructure to secure your data systems. For more information, please contact us today.
Thanks to my colleague and fellow Ulistic client, Holden Watne, with Los Angeles IT services company, GenIX for his help with this article.
