The Rise in Cybersecurity Attacks

At the start of the pandemic, the switch from in person work to remote work opened up a whole new window for ransom attacks. With everything being strictly on the computer, it became very easy for an attacker to get their hands on personal information, not just from individuals but from companies as well. With company's main focus on getting their employees set up remotely, their cybersecurity protocol slowly went on the back burner.

These attacks opened many individuals and companies' eyes with the biggest takeaway being poor password security. These passwords seemed to be very guessable and sometimes included the company's name. Professionals recommend making strong passwords, creating clear company policies for when employees are using business and personal devices, and having a multifactor authenticator for company accounts. All of these will not fully eliminate cybercriminals, but it will make it harder for them to successfully carry out their attacks.

Although companies have established new protocols in relation to their security, the attacks have not seemed to slow down. Both Colonial Pipeline and JBS experienced major ransomware attacks. Some other companies that fell victim to an attack include McDonalds, Electronic Arts, Peloton and Volkswagen. This has been a big eye opener to many businesses and has forced them to tighten up on their security. 

While some attacks target the companies information, other attacks may be more focused on getting a hold of customers information such as emails, phone numbers and addresses. As a result of these attacks, there has become an urgent need for cybersecurity professionals. 

Attacks like these force companies to make a new game plan. What is working in your company? What may need to be fixed when it comes to your security posture? At Apogee IT Services we deliver a wide range of services including IT Security, Data Backup & Disaster Recovery, Network Monitoring etc. 

Source: Forbes.com CNN.com