Companies are wise if they keep up with the data breach trends that are happening today. It will help them be up on their toes always for this threat. What, then, are some trends today?
Data Breach Trends
As we rely more and more on digital technology and produce more data, we increase the risk of a data breach. Companies need to be aware of these data breach trends if they want to protect their information assets. Being aware of these trends will help you to plan prevention methods and other defenses. It will also help you act quickly if something does occur.
The following are a few of the data breach trends you should be aware of:
Ransomware Is Becoming More Common
Ransomware is becoming more common. It is an easy way for hackers to get money without having to work very hard. Hackers can get $300-$500 per victim. If they get thousands, it could be a nice payday for them.
How does this happen? Hackers will send a malicious email to the victims and hope they click on it. Once they do, the hacker can gain access to their systems and encrypt their data. The hackers then demand a ransom in return for the decryption key that unlocks the data.
They will also use other versions of ransomware that will lock or delete all your data unless you pay them a sum of money.
Social Media Hacks Are Rising
Social media hacks are also becoming more common. In fact, over two-thirds of businesses have reported experiencing a social media hack. It is another way that hackers can take advantage of a company and its data.
Hackers will often use phishing scams to get into a company’s social media accounts. They can then take over the accounts and start posting messages to users to get them to click on links or download malicious files. This will allow the hacker to gain access to sensitive information or infect your systems with malware.
Ransomware Is Growing In Popularity With Small Businesses
Ransomware is growing in popularity with small businesses rather than larger ones. This is partly because small businesses have less money available for prevention methods and for paying a ransom if hackers do get into their systems.
Small businesses are also less likely to have a backup plan in place or a plan for how they will handle being hacked. They may also have less training on how to work with IT professionals if they get hacked. The result? Small businesses are more likely to end up paying the ransom than larger companies are.
Use A Security Awareness Program to Avoid a Data Breach
A security awareness program may be able to help you avoid some data breaches. You can use an awareness program to train people on how they should secure their devices and accounts, what they should do if someone calls them with an emergency, and what types of phishing emails they might receive.
Doing this will help them to avoid a data breach. A security awareness program will also help your people understand why your company has those policies and procedures in place.
