In the IT sector, cybersecurity has become a major, if not the most important, concern. Throughout 2021, high-profile ransomware attacks such as the Colonial Pipeline, Kaseya, and the Pegasus spyware intrusion dominated news cycles. But how critical is cybersecurity to your company? After all, your company is unlikely to resemble any of these well-known corporations. We’ve compiled ten of the most significant cybersecurity statistics for you to understand, demonstrating that cybersecurity is crucial regardless of your company’s size or sector.
- Every day, the globe is bombarded with around 100,000 harmful websites and 10,000 dangerous files.
When confronted with so many websites and files on a daily basis, all attempting to compromise your personal data, knowing how to recognize when something is incorrect is critical to your cybersecurity. Top companies are investing in cybersecurity training to counteract the onslaught of files and sites aimed at exploiting your vulnerabilities. This training goes beyond just keeping the IT crew current. It entails providing everyone in the company with the tools necessary to detect and respond to assaults. This includes phishing schemes and knowing how to handle escalation processes if they are hacked.
- Human mistake is to blame for 95% of cybersecurity incidents.
Because you have antivirus software installed on your computer and use a password that is more difficult than “password123,” it’s easy to believe you won’t be the victim of a data breach. However, research has revealed that the vast majority of security breaches are caused by human mistakes rather than technical flaws. Following cybersecurity best practices and, once again, remaining up to date on cybersecurity training will go a long way toward keeping not just your information, but also your organization’s, secure from a cyberattack.
- Small firms are the target of 43 percent of cyber assaults.
To a hacker, it doesn’t matter how big or little your company is. Smaller companies, rather than huge corporations, are often targeted since they have more sensitive systems and less defensive measures in place. Regardless of your company’s size or budget, ensuring that your cybersecurity meets industry standards is critical.
- The FBI has documented a 300 percent rise in reported cybercrime since the start of the epidemic.
Covid-19 has altered our working life in more ways than one, including the creation of flexible work conditions. It has also resulted in a significant rise in the number of cybercrimes recorded. While individuals were learning how to utilize Zoom and working remotely for the first time, hackers were ramping up their attacks, preying on the typical internet user when they were most susceptible.
- A data breach costs an average of $3.86 million.
A data breach may be highly expensive, even disastrous to a firm, from litigation bills and data retrieval charges to fixing expired infrastructure and reputational harm. A data breach is not a fast remedy, despite its astronomical cost. From detection to containment, the typical data breach takes 280 days, forcing firms to spend nearly a year on a breach when they should be focusing on other things.
- Every minute, $17,700 is lost due to phishing attempts.
Cyberattackers continue to use phishing as one of their most common ways of attack. Spear phishing (a more focused kind of phishing) has become increasingly popular in recent years. While phishing emails are very simple to identify with a trained eye, spear phishing is a little more challenging. “A campaign that was specifically created by a threat actor with the objective of breaching one business, and where they would actually investigate names and responsibilities inside a company,” says Aaron Higbee, CTO of anti-phishing startup Cofense. Are you unsure whether your boss’s email request is legitimate? A simple confirmation call or text may go a long way!
7.94% of malware is distributed through email.
Most malware is spread through email, rather than via social media, new software, or other means. Phishing is a common method for attackers to obtain your personal information and install malware on your device without your knowledge. Malware spreads throughout your computer and even across networks after it has been installed on your device.
- Only 16% of CEOs believe their companies are well equipped to cope with cyber threats.
It takes more than having a specialized IT staff to be prepared for cyber threats. It requires top-to-bottom buy-in from the whole firm. It takes a team to keep your company on top of the ever-changing cybersecurity environment.
- According to one report, more than 77 percent of businesses lack a cybersecurity incident responsestrategy.
We all remember being pulled out of our classes a few times a semester to stand outdoors for 30 minutes or so to test our school’s fire-fighting preparedness. Most of us took advantage of these brief opportunities to be outside and away from school for a few minutes. However, they were critical for our instructors and staff’s readiness in the event of a calamity. When calamity occurs, companies may restrict the extent and total harm by using the same approach to incident response with cyberattacks.
- Every 11 seconds, a ransomware attack occurs, up from 40 seconds in 2016.
Ransomware assaults are on the increase, much like phishing frauds. Not only are ransomware assaults on the increase, but their strategies are also changing. Hackers used to grab your data, encrypt it, and then sell it back to you. Because the ordinary user has learnt not to trust a hacker attempting to sell their data back to them, hackers have begun to sell the data directly to third parties, bypassing the user totally.
