Top Cybersecurity Threats in 2022

The threat of cybersecurity attacks is continuing to evolve. Organizations need to take the proper steps now to protect themselves from cybersecurity threats in 2022. Businesses on the cutting edge of cybersecurity are already preparing for the next generation of cybersecurity threats. Here are the biggest cybersecurity threats to business in 2022.

Phishing occurs when hackers attempt to fool employees into giving hackers personal data, such as usernames and passwords. This trend is accelerating. The FBI reported that phishing attacks increased from 114,702 incidents in 2019, to 241,324 incidents in 2020 with over 74% of organizations experiencing attacks.

Office employees can potentially send hundreds of emails and messages a day. The sheer volume of communication can make it easy to fire off an email with potentially sensitive information without realizing the recipient is not who they say they are. Phishing attacks are constantly evolving and changing. Hackers are making phishing attacks more sophisticated through geotargeting and personalization.

Even the most seasoned cybersecurity employees can fall victim to a well-executed phishing scheme. Employees will continue to be susceptible to phishing attacks. Organizations need to continually invest in cybersecurity education to ensure that employees are aware of the latest phishing scams

Ransomware typically involves a hacker infiltrating a business’s network and locking a user’s computer, data, or system, and holding it ransom. Even if a business pays the ransom, there is no guarantee that the hacker will release the systems or information. Ransomware is becoming more advanced each year.

Governments and large organizations have fallen victim to ransomware attacks that have crippled their operations. Businesses need to properly prepare for ransomware attacks. IT departments can keep applications up to date, implement backup plans, and properly secure endpoints throughout the organization to potentially fend off ransomware attacks.

One of the biggest advances in the past decade has been the adoption of the cloud. Employees can now access company data from anywhere with an internet connection. That trend is only going to continue in 2022. The cloud has led to large gains in productivity, but that has come with potential cybersecurity risks.

Cloud networks are increasingly more complex for businesses to properly manage and secure. IT departments may be unaware of a potential threat, as their visibility into cloud infrastructure and operations can be clouded. Users also may have multiple accounts and usernames to keep track of, which can make them more susceptible to hacks, as they will often use the same password for each account.

Businesses are also investing heavily in the internet of things. Devices, such as CNC machines and farming equipment, are now connected to the internet to take advantage of data and automation. Your network is more exposed to potential hacks, as each device is a potential access point for hackers to infiltrate your network.

IT departments can overlook the threat of connected devices and their configurations. Additionally, IoT devices typically have fewer processing and storage capabilities, which can make installing security applications more difficult. Businesses should fully understand the cybersecurity risks of certain devices before bringing them online into their network and take the proper precautions to prevent potential hacks.

Businesses should continue to invest in cybersecurity initiatives to ensure that they keep their operations secure and data safe. The trend of these cybersecurity threats is not slowing down anytime soon.