As the digital landscape continues to grow, so does the risk of cybercrime. According to Checkpoint's 2023 Security Report, cyberattacks surged by a staggering 38% in 2022 compared to the previous year, averaging 1,168 attacks per organization every week. Not only has the volume of attacks increased, but their complexity and sophistication have also reached new heights.
As organizations navigate the challenges of 2023 and beyond, it becomes ever more crucial to strengthen their cybersecurity defenses.
The biggest cybersecurity challenges of 2023
With cybercrimes on a rapid incline, it helps to stay wary of the current trends that threaten the cybersecurity landscape. Below are some of the most critical challenges businesses have faced in 2023, and may continue to in the years to come.
- Weaponizing legitimate tools: Threat actors may exploit legitimate tools or the built-in features of a user’s system to hide their attacks and improve their chances of success. This can also occur among mobile apps, where malware can fester under the guise of legitimate or harmless applications (e.g., games, flashlights, or QR code readers).
- Ransomware extortion: The growth in ransomware-focused security has led to a rise in double extortion attacks, in which attackers combine data theft with encryption, or skip the encryption process entirely, to inflict faster and more effective damage to businesses.
- Wiper malware: 2023 has seen a significant surge in “wipers,” a type of malware that deletes data entirely, making it a potent tool for hacktivism and cyberwarfare.
- Cloud breaches: Moving data to the cloud can typically make it more vulnerable to digital threats than local, on-premises data storage. Cybercriminals have been increasingly targeting cloud service providers, exploiting potential vulnerabilities to gain access to sensitive business and customer data.
- Zero-day vulnerabilities: Zero-day vulnerabilities refer to when a security vulnerability is identified, but users have yet to find a solution to fix the issue. This can be particularly challenging among software supply chains, as unpatched vulnerabilities in their external libraries can offer hackers potential entry points into multiple companies’ systems.
How to combat the biggest cybersecurity challenges of 2023 and beyond
Putting the following solutions in place can help businesses defend against known and emerging threats:
Proactive security measures
Most organizations tend to adopt a reactive approach to cybersecurity, only responding to threats after they’ve been struck. This delay grants attackers a larger window of opportunity to cause lasting damage or employ sophisticated techniques to avoid detection. Organizations may then incur higher costs to deal with the aftermath.
To counter this, a shift toward proactive security is crucial. Companies can identify and prevent potential threats through regular vulnerability assessments, penetration testing, and security audits, which allow them to spot weak points and vulnerabilities before they’re exploited.
Employee education and awareness programs can also play a critical role in fostering a security-conscious culture, where staff can actively contribute to early threat detection and mitigation. Additionally, employing advanced threat intelligence tools can aid in promptly predicting and addressing emerging cyberthreats as they come.
Centralized security
Relying on individual, standalone cybersecurity solutions for different aspects of an IT infrastructure can lead to unnecessary complexities and inefficiencies. Instead, it may be worth investing in a centralized security platform that consolidates various cybersecurity capabilities, streamlining the management and monitoring process.
Managed security services are an excellent example of this, offering a comprehensive approach to cybersecurity through threat detection, incident response, malware protection, firewall management, and more. Centralization enhances communication and collaboration within the security team, helping facilitate a unified response to cyberthreats. It can also ensure continuous, streamlined updates to security protocols and allows for prompter response to emerging vulnerabilities or gaps in security.
A robust cybersecurity program
With the emergence of new data technologies and constant enhancements to existing systems, potential hackers continuously find new entry points to exploit. A comprehensive cybersecurity program can effectively counter these threats, providing organizations with a combination of technological solutions and employee training.
Businesses can employ the latest security analytics tools to proactively detect suspicious activity and intrusions and ensure regular system updates to maintain optimum performance. Moreover, educating staff on cybersecurity best practices and the newest cybercrime trends helps foster a security-aware culture and reduces the risk of human error within the security chain.
Fortify your cybersecurity defenses today. Get in touch with outsourceIT’s experts to identify your IT security needs and discover how managed security services can proactively ensure a secure digital future for your organization.
