The Biggest Threat to Information Security in 2022

Your business’ information security (IT) is what keeps your critical business data processing safe. Therefore, you need to be prepared for the advancing and impending threats. 

Data threats change every year but business IT professionals can prepare for the most dangerous threats with preventative measures and protocols. 

Some experts will say that malware is the biggest threat to information security, but we should look more broadly at cybersecurity challenges and how to prevent them.

Business Critical Cybersecurity Concerns

When thinking about major security concerns in the workplace, we often think of hackers. However, the security industry agrees that the most significant threat to information security is your own employees. 

For the past decade, insider threats have been identified as one of the most likely causes of a data breach in a business. Years of research on data breach costs has shown employee behavior to be one of the most pressing issues facing organizations today. You may have malicious employees that attack your business (similar to hackers), but negligent employees also pose a significant information security risk. 

Your employees are working in your organization and on your network, in commercial cloud apps, in remote settings, with personal devices, with poor security knowledge, and without multiple security protocols (like two-factor authentication). Your employees are also human, which means that they can be forgetful and accidentally increase the opportunities for vulnerabilities to be present.

Many of the data breaches (around 95%) that bring businesses to a halt are caused by human error. This includes internal and unintentional errors caused by employees who ignore security policies, are careless, and are negligent with your company network.

According to recent surveys:

• All types of insider risk threats are increasing
• On an annual basis, employee or contractor negligence cost companies the most
• Credential theft is the most expensive

Compromised information security can lead to compromised customer trust, increased hackability and endpoints, and financial deficits.

How to Protect Your Business From the Biggest Information Security Threats

Employee Training

Employee training is one of the most important and effective ways to protect against negligent insider threats and other types of cyber threats. After all, your employees might not recognize that they are presenting even more vulnerabilities within your company. 

Employee training can help raise awareness. Use training sessions to educate your employees on the rates of employee-caused data breaches and to inform them on security policies, how to spot a malicious phishing email, and how to properly store data.

Employees should be warned against using USBs and other removable storage devices and interacting with third-party file-sharing websites that aren’t secure.

Regular Risk Assessments

Risks assessments are audits that IT professionals perform to check the integrity of a company network. Risk assessments should be performed at least annually as a way of checking in on vulnerable endpoints and new ones that pop up. In a year, your employees will most likely change the types of devices that access your network, for example. So you will have some new potential vulnerabilities to check in on. 

Additionally, this is a great time to check in on current industry trends and security patches so that you ensure your software is up to date.

Compliance Reviews

Your business needs to follow compliance in a number of ways. If you are collecting customer data, then you’ll need to follow compliance best practices under the GDPR and CCPA.

Failing to remain compliant can result in work shut down and fines. Therefore, you’ll need to have the right, up-to-date security tools, processes, and technologies for data compliance.

Data Security: Processing, Redundancy, and Backup Procedures

Having a firm data security plan in place can keep your sensitive data safe. Not only will this plan protect your data but it will also help guide your personnel. Your data processing will need to follow privacy laws, compliance, and data security best practices for the protection of your customer information and the company.

Data Monitoring Software

Data monitoring software helps add an extra layer of data visibility and data protection. With this software, your security team can conveniently see who is accessing parts of your network, including authorized access points that store sensitive information.

It can also help you neutralize a security breach, such as credential theft, in real-time. 

Data monitoring software comes with key security features, such as:

• Live screen monitoring
• Keystroke logging software
• Communication tracking
• Application and website tracking
• Project logging
• Time tracking
• Timesheet software
• Data movement alerts

This software can be remotely downloaded from a single console and accessed from the admin console so that user monitoring is easier and more controlled. 

Zero Trust Security

IBM Security recommends Zero Trust security to prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data and areas that hold sensitive data. 

Zero trust assumes that while an individual may have gained access to your network, they are not automatically authorized to move throughout your network. Instead, the user has to be continually granted authority as they move from place to place. This is particularly important around sensitive data and personally identifiable information (PII). 

More Cybersecurity Threat Types Common in the Workplace

Insider threat potentials underlay all other information security concerns in the workplace; however, businesses need to be prepared for other vulnerable endpoints, hacking potentials, and data breach risks.

Cybersecurity threats that businesses need to look out for include:

1. Phishing Attack
2. Malware Attack
3. Ransomware Attack
4. Crypto Hacking
5. IoT Device Hacking

With each of these security breaches come security awareness training, security software, and policies. Therefore, information technologists need to stay up to date on each of the security concerns to keep the workplace protected.

Trust SoftActivity With Data Protection

SoftActivity Monitor is a powerful monitoring tool that managers can use to keep track of key security alerts in an on-site and online organization.

With SoftActivity monitor, you can keep an eye on your network security. Keep cyber criminals out of your network, and have data on malicious insiders.

By SoftActivity Team.