What You Need To Know About Cybersecurity Threats While Working Remotely

(Photo : Towfiqu Barbhuiya via Unsplash)

Remote work is the new norm and a huge number of us are working remotely now thanks to the effects of the pandemic. However, t can be a cyber security minefield. So, how do you stay safe when working remotely?

Protection Is Key

Throughout 2021, cybercriminals unleashed a series of attacks that were not only highly coordinated, but some of the most advanced ever to be seen on that scale. You more than likely have read about the series of cybersecurity events that have been targeting some of the largest corporations throughout the world. There has been a higher level of threats and technologies that have been ushered into the cybersecurity space as more individuals have been working from home due to the pandemic and have created a new form of work model that had never been seen in such large scale. While these targets tend to effect everyone, they generally hit the small business area the hardest. Protection is essential to keep a business safe, find out about the future of SIEM tools and how they can work for you. With this in mind, there are five cybersecurity threats that every business should keep in mind for 2022 and beyond.

Attacks On Work Remote

In the traditional workspace area, an organization had the ability to place an emphasis on employee awareness, various polices, and a number of firewalls for protection. However, with so many employees working in a remote space, cybersecurity measures have become much more difficult. In a recent study by Tessian, a UK and US cybersecurity firm, 56% of senior IT technicians believe that employees have picked up a number of unsafe habits while working from home. Some of the main cybersecurity risks that have been found include working on unsafe networks, human error, and using personal devices. Through the use of enforced security measures such as the use of anti-virus software, VPNs, anti-phishing tools, as well as continuing education have the ability to lower the risk of cybersecurity threats.

Cloud Vulnerabilities

A number of organizations have begun to use the cloud in an effort to stay up to date with technological changes. However, while the cloud may be one of the newer technological advances, it is a key element of concern in terms of threats. Some of the major causes of cloud vulnerabilities include improper use and management of remote desktop protocol, weak authentication, as well as shadow IT usage.

Internet of Things Vulnerabilities

It is well known that digital transformation is all about being data-driven. One of the key providers of this data is the Internet of Things or IoT. IoT devices are typically some of the most vulnerable due to the fact that they have low levels of security controls built in to thwart many attacks. Kaspersky has stated that the number of IoT attacks have more than doubled in 2021 as compared to the previous year, this is partially due to many more people working online than before and more businesses being marketed online. A number of vulnerabilities in IoT devices have allowed countless cyber criminals to access sensitive data as well as gain access to other connected devices.

Double Extortion Ransomware Attacks

We have all heard the story of ransomware where a single malicious code begins to encrypt files in a rapid manner with a public-key RSA encryption in which the victim must pay or the files will be deleted. However, with this new double extortion ransomware attack features the theft of data from an organization along with the encryption of files. This simply means that in addition to have to pay for the decryption of data, there is also a threat the the stolen information could be leaked to the public if certain demands or payments are not met.