The motivation of threat actors largely determines why a certain industry is targeted, namely what a threat actor can gain from the attack. Whether it be money, prestige, or a public platform, understanding the motivation behind attacks shines a light on the industries most at risk for data breaches.
Information / Network Security
Information security is something that is a necessity for organizations of all sizes. From the small startups to the large, international conglomerates, information security is an area that should not be discounted or overlooked. With threats lurking around every corner, small organizations must be ready with strong information security to both remain competitive and survive against threats of all complexities.
Security breaches continue to increase every year. In 2005 alone, roughly 157 data breaches were reported in the United States, with 66.9 million records exposed. That number more than quadrupled in 2014, with 783 reported data breaches and at least 85.61 million total records exposed.
According to a RiskBasedSecurity report, 2019 saw approximately 7.9 to 8.5 billion records compromised. To put that in perspective, the world population is currently 7.5 billion. Despite the numerous small breaches throughout 2019, the majority of these records were compromised by a few large breaches and subsequent chain reaction minor breaches.
Businesses are afraid of what’s out there on the Internet. And rightfully so. Hackers lurk around every network just waiting for the right opportunity to get in. And according to IBM Security’s Cost of A Data Breach 2019 report, the average cost of an incident was $5.11 million globally for companies with over 25,000 employees. The average cost was more than one and a half times as much for U.S. companies overall.
A data breach can happen when you least expect it. The impact of security breaches on business can amount to millions (or potentially billions of dollars if your organization creates that much revenue) and leave its reputation in shambles amongst industry pundits and customers alike. This is why it’s best to understand what the potential consequences of data breach are and how your business can bounce back from one if caught between a hacker and a hard place.
Data security is not just about implementing the latest tools. While tools and software are critical, good security is also about a process. The methods companies use and the procedures they develop determine the impact and scale of a cybersecurity attack. Security weaknesses lie not just in systems, but in people too. Learn about the top data security methods for large businesses with this comprehensive blog post.
What Is The Purpose of Information Security Access Controls?
Running a business is no easy task. With multiple challenges demanding your constant attention, even a small slip can spell disaster. In the midst of this chaos, one essential element that regularly goes overlooked is your company’s information security policy. Unfortunately, it often takes a major system intrusion for a business to begin taking its cybersecurity seriously. And by then, the damage has already been done.
If you want to protect your company’s data, thus ensuring its financial and reputational well-being, it’s essential that you formulate a rigid set of informational security access controls. These buffers and limits serve as the invaluable first line of defense against cyber threats.
Below, we’ll cover the ins and outs of security access control so that you’re prepared for future threats.
Small businesses are constantly being bombarded with the threat of a data breach. Although some feel that there are bigger fish for hackers to fry, 43% of cyber-attacks continue to target small businesses, not large corporations. This is why it is essential for small businesses to fully grasp how to improve data security across the entire organization.
But something that is consistent across the board for many small businesses is the question of where to begin with their plans and strategy for data security. Most lack the type of budget needed to hire the level of on-site IT support needed to remediate vulnerabilities.
It is for this reason that even if small businesses are outsourcing their cybersecurity support to an outside agency, they still need to integrate an internal cybersecurity plan into their organization that their team can use to proactive regulate their data security. Let’s review the top three strategies for how to improve data security that small businesses can integrate into their organization immediately.
Information Security vs. Cyber Security: Is There a Difference?
Technology progresses rapidly, and new security tactics are developed with each innovation. Several years ago, the key term for businesses was “information security,” but today cybersecurity tends to garner more attention and research. However, both information and cybersecurity have their respective merits and their similarities. As an organization, it’s critical that your private info is secured. Learn about the differences between information security vs cybersecurity here.