Cybersecurity threats are on the rise as more and more people are working from home. The remote work reality has opened the door for many kinds of cyberattacks that were not possible the year before the pandemic hit. Many large companies, as well as smaller entities, have recently found themselves involved in a cyber-attack that they never saw coming.

Being aware of the kinds of cyber threats that are out there is a big help toward planning the proper defenses to keep your network and your business safe. There are more requirements for network security than ever these days, and being educated about the risks that your company and your network might face can go a long way toward keeping your business and your data secure.

If you are ready to learn more about the security threats to business IT in 2021, read on!

Computer Security Threats to Business IT in 2021

1.       Phishing

This is a tried and true method of gaining access to business data and your employees are frequently the weakest link in your overall security protections. Phishing emails are increasingly clever and are aimed at building trust and having users click on harmful links because they believe them to be harmless.

These kinds of emails are getting more sophisticated as hackers figure out how to mimic company headers and email styles as well as the language of company or business partner outreach. Many businesses have found themselves in the position of being under cyberattack due to a fake email sent to a user who clicked on a link.

 

2.       Ransomware

This new and very serious threat has been gaining public attention as large corporations have fallen victim to it in recent years. This kind of attack allows a hacker to gain access to sensitive company data and lock it down so that the company cannot access it until a ransom is paid.

This is doubly threatening to companies because the data that is stolen in these attacks is often sold to bad actors all over the world or to the dark web. Even if you are able to get your data back after paying the ransom, you have no way of knowing who else was given access to it when it was in the possession of the hacker.

 

3.       Malware

There are so many kinds of malware floating around these days. From harmful attachments included in emails to fraudulent jpg files, there are so many ways that a harmful file can gain access to your network.

The best way to prevent malware from being able to access your network successfully is to educate users about what malware looks like. You can also make sure that you have excellent security solutions protecting your network from these emails being delivered to users.

Malware has been around for years but it, just like ransomware, is being developed into an increasingly sophisticated form of attack that is not always captured by your network security processes.

 

4.       IoT Attacks

Not every company is using IoT and AI to run their business, but for the companies who are, this is a new point of access for cyber threats that was not an option in the past. IoT devices are connected to the network of your business and they often have access to many parts of your network.

The best solution to prevent an IoT attack is to secure these devices in the same way that you would another computer. This is a new technology and is therefore proving to be a weak link for many companies as they have not considered the native risks of having these devices linked to their overall network without necessary security measures in place.

 

5.       Social Engineering

It is all too common for people to scoff that they would never fall prey to a social engineering attack and then realize that a hacker was able to fool them with ease. Social engineering can be subtle and still very effective at creating openings to infiltrate your network.

Phishing is just one kind of social engineering, but there are many other forms of this type of attack that can allow bad actors to gain access to your network. They do this through false promises or offering a false sense of security to a user who is trying to troubleshoot a problem or who thinks they are being contacted by the IT department. 

Training in the kinds of social engineering attacks that are common can help waylay this kind of threat, but it can be hard to protect your network from these kinds of bad actors, particularly if most of your workforce is working from home through a remote connection. 

 

6.       Malvertising

This new entry to the list of cyber threats is a clever way that bad actors use ads to distribute malware. Many people avoid clicking on ads out of principle, but there is the occasional ad that looks too good not to click on. This can cause malware to infiltrate your network if a user is shopping online or looking at their social media while they are at work.

Malvertising is easy to stop in its tracks if you shut down the kinds of sites that offer these ads and prevent your employees from accessing social media at work. You can also make sure that your employees are not working through public WIFI by utilizing a quality VPN for their daily work connection to your network.

A VPN will encrypt their connection and protect your company from bad actors gaining access to their personal computers while they work in a café or at a hotel.

 

Cyber Threats Are on the Rise and Computer Security is More Important Than Ever

If you have a business and are worried about bad actors gaining access to your data or your network, you should always make sure that you have a hefty network security profile, that your employees are working through a VPN, and that you educate employees in the ways in which hackers can gain access to your network.

Prevention and education are both necessary parts of establishing a good network security protocol that will stand up to most of the cyber threats that your company is faced with on a daily basis.