The year 2021 was turbulent in many respects. Especially in terms of cybersecurity, as attacks on SMEs and variations of new malware increased steadily. It is therefore particularly important that companies are aware of the potential dangers and prepare for them. To ensure this, here is an overview of the most important cybersecurity trends in 2022.
Did you know that malware is now marketed by cybercriminals in much the same way as regular software? Professionalization in this field is thus continuing to increase. It is possible to buy or rent malware for a fee and still receive technical support for it directly. Attackers are thus expanding their field of activity and have created a whole new business model, for a market that will continue to grow in 2022.
As an SME, it is therefore particularly important to react proactively – preparation with a goodemergency concept, investment in securing the technical infrastructure and, above all, awareness andtraining of employees are among the most important and effective measures in the fight against cyber crime.
Mobile working and home offices have become part of everyday life in many SMEs since 2020 at the latest. This work structure also requires mobile devices, such as smartphones, which are increasingly an attractive target for cybercriminals. This makes it all the more important to check and manage the data carefully. A particularly effective method for this is the classification, including encryption, of the data.
There are also new approaches and cybersecurity trends, especially with respect to these mobile and cloud-based work structures. One approach, for example, is thezero-trust model, in which all accesses are treated equally and initially classified as a potential threat.
This cybersecurity trend is about vulnerability management – a process that should be a given in all SMEs, but unfortunately this is often not the case. This involves continuously monitoring, identifying, assessing, addressing and reporting software and network vulnerabilities to prevent attackers from exploiting these vulnerabilities and injecting their malicious malware.
To effectively implement vulnerability management, organizations should follow these “best practices.”
We also offer vulnerability management with ourManaged Workplace Service andManaged Cloud Workplace. Our customers have a very high level of protection in this regard due to monthly updates and immediate response to critical gaps, so there have been no (known) incidents yet.
As mentioned earlier, a key cybersecurity trend is identifying potential risks. This includes the increasingly branched and differentiated supply chains of companies. Cybercriminals take advantage of the individual links and, for example, target individual companies, such as a telecommunications company, which then serves as an entry point to other SMEs. It is therefore important for companies to be aware of which supply chains exist and how many interfaces there are with other companies. Subsequently, common and, above all, uniform safety standards should be established.
One particularly helpful tool for SMEs is artificial intelligence (AI), which optimizes as well as automates processes. AI also makes it possible to analyze one’s own data traffic in order to anticipate and stop attacks, data leaks and similar criminal activities. But this process is only as secure as the AI itself. That’s why it’s important for SMEs to have this technology protected by experts. Particular security is also required because cybercriminals are also increasingly using AI for their own purposes.
The methods of cybercriminals are constantly evolving. Every year, every month, maybe even every day, something new is created. For the security of SMEs, it is therefore essential to keep an eye on cybersecurity trends, to always stay up to date and to continue to develop in this area. For SMEs that want to know where they stand in terms of their safety, there are alsostandardized, scientifically recognized methods.
In the area of IT security, it doesn’t really matter whether it’s an SME or a larger company. Every organization needs holistic protection to respond quickly and efficiently to security incidents. In the rarest of cases, SMEs in particular can manage this with their internal staff. Working with managed security service providers is therefore the best way to achieve the greatest possible IT security without costs and effort getting out of hand. To be in the best possible position in the area of cybersecurity, SMEs must acquire the necessary expertise or consult external experts.
In a no-obligation consultation, we work together to find out where you stand and how you can use our security services to get the best possible security for your SME.
At Dinotronic, we are cybersecurity specialists with ISO 27001 and CISSP certifications – experts in our field and specialized in addressing all relevant aspects of infrastructure, security and cloud services with our holistic consulting approach.
Get an overview of our Managed Security Services here.