Cyber security breaches and ransom ware attacks has become very common today, which has resulted in higher payouts to criminals. These rapid changes have put business owners and IT professionals under great pressure so as to make sure they can recover their data if any breach occurs. It also helps them in thoroughly understanding how to prevent future attacks. Understanding the recent trends in cyber security breaches will enable you to create a framework to help keep your security intact and formulate IT policies. Below are some of the recent cyber security breaches you must know.
Data theft turning into data manipulation
The recent trend in cyber security breaches has seen cyber criminals change their technique from only data theft and hacking of websites to attacking data integrity. This type of cyber security breach when compared to pure data theft causes long term damage to an organization and reputational damage to individuals. It allows people to start questioning the integrity of the data that was breached.
Attackers are targeting consumer devices
For all organizations, either big or small, ransom ware has been recognized as a major issue. Recently, we have started seeing cyber criminals target consumers across a range of connected devices. For instance, cyber criminals can target your smartphone via a ransom ware attack. You will then be required to pay a sum of money to unlock it.
Attackers has become bolder and more commercially less traceable
Recent cyber criminals have become more commercialized and organized, possibly even have their personal call center. This type of cyber breach has already being seen with fake dating websites. These criminals look to operate from countries where there are fewer sanctions on cybercrime. This thereby places these criminals outside the jurisdiction of their victim’s police.
Breaches has gotten more complicated and harder to beat
It has been discovered that cyber criminals has improved on their malicious activities using ransom ware in a more sophisticated way. This type of ransom ware has been discovered to use a system that is innovative to spread infections. The infection turns its victims into attackers by using a pyramid scheme-style discount. The original victim has their files decrypted for free, when he or she shares the ransom ware link to two or more people who will have their files encrypted and will have to pay.
Cloud security challenges
Cloud storage of organization’s data makes them a target for cyber criminals as the cloud brings a whole new set of security challenges. These security challenges include data integrity, could technology failure, and so on. Cyber criminals use sophisticated applications to attack and modify cloud data such as security keys and account credentials. Most organizations are even more vulnerable to cyber security breaches because they assume that their third security vendors are protecting their data.
The main sources of data breaches within organizations are apps
It has been discovered that applications such as Mobile, business, desktop, or web apps, are the major sources of data breaches. These apps are easily targeted by cyber criminals because they were not built particularly for security- they were built particularly for other purposes. This gives hackers the opportunity to span and steal data through downloading apps built with malicious code. As a business owner or IT professional, you need to make cyber security your strategically point of priority which is critical to ensure your organization survives the next generation of cyber security breaches.