The COVID-19 pandemic has compelled many enterprises to shift to remote working. As a result, companies have improved their cybersecurity efforts to safeguard their networks and systems. Despite the measures organizations have taken to enhance their cyber safety, there is still a disruption of general IT security measures and standards. Consequently, cyber-attacks have evolved and increased because cybercriminals have identified dispersed workers and IT systems as adequate gaps to exploit. The following are the top cybersecurity trends for 2021:
Increased Cloud Threats
Although many businesses had started to migrate to the cloud before the coronavirus outbreak, the pandemic has intensified the adoption to make remote working a success. Despite its benefits, the rapid cloud migration presents many new security threats, including minimal visibility and control, incomplete deletion of data, and misconfigured cloud storage, which will continue to disrupt daily business operations.
Assault on Senior Remote Workers
Cybercriminals launch attacks to exploit technology users and senior employees who became remote workers to comply with stay-at-home orders. Their position to authorize payments increases their vulnerability because cybercriminals target individuals with a higher rank by concentrating their criminal efforts on individual workstations instead of a company’s entire IT infrastructure. Although this form of cyber-attack has been there for more than a decade, it will continue to increase because many senior employees will continue working remotely due to the ongoing pandemic.
Increased Automation-Related Threats
Since data size increases daily, many businesses have integrated automation to get more sophisticated control over information. While many employees work remotely, organizations have merged their security solutions and hyper automated processes with various tools, including artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), to cut costs. However, automation has become a loophole that cybercriminals use to attack business networks and systems.
Rise of Ransomware Attacks
Targeted ransomware attacks will also be a cybersecurity trend in 2021. COVID-19 pandemic has increased unemployment, and cybercriminals have increased their efforts to harm corporate entities. While many organizations rely on specific software in running their daily operations, ransomware attackers focus on the organizations’ data exfiltration. They hold a business’ databases hostage in exchange for money. These attacks will continue to increase because remote workers use their networks, which leaves them at risk of cyber attackers.