Cybersecurity is not a new concept. Since the earliest days of the Internet, business organizations have faced an acute need to protect their data and to avert online assailants. However, the nature of cybersecurity is constantly shifting, with new threats always emerging.

Amidst this ever-shifting landscape, businesses must maintain awareness of their risk profiles and take stock of the most common threats and vulnerabilities. While the specifics may vary from industry to industry, a few threats loom large for organizations everywhere.

Taking Stock of the Most Common Cybersecurity Threats

1) Social engineering schemes

One of the most common types of online threats is social engineering. This term denotes hackers’ efforts to imitate trusted organizations or institutions, all in an effort to trick your organization’s employees into revealing passwords, credentials, or other sensitive data..

Social engineering encompasses a range of particular threats, including phishing and smishing. What makes it especially dangerous is that it preys on human error. As such, the single best way to protect your business from social engineering schemes is to invest in good employee training.

2) Third-party exposure.

Sometimes, hackers gain access to your data directly, but in other instances, they come in through a side door… specifically by exploiting your connections to third parties, whose cybersecurity measures may not be as robust as yours.

This is true of vendors, but it can be especially true of freelance employees or contractors who work remotely. It’s crucial to put some protections in place to restrict what information these employees have access to.

3) Configuration errors.

One of the best ways to mitigate cybersecurity threats is to ensure that your internal software is properly configured and kept up to date at all times. Unfortunately, many companies have software that isn’t quite configured properly. Even one error can expose your entire network to hackers.

That’s why it’s so important to work with a team of skilled IT professionals. They can be vigilant in ensuring your entire digital ecosystem is set up with staunch cybersecurity protocols.

4) Inadequate cyber hygiene.

Cyber hygiene refers to all your organization’s daily steps to keep hackers at bay. There are several areas in which you and your team might exhibit poor cyber hygiene, including:

  • Weak passwords
  • Not changing passwords often enough
  • The use of unsecured networks
  • Failure to use multi-factor authentication and other safeguards

Again, a skilled IT security team can help you ensure that basic hygiene is being upheld, preventing would-be attackers from getting a foot in the door.

5) Cloud Vulnerabilities

As more and more teams shift toward decentralized or remote work, cloud storage is bigger than ever. That’s led to a significant increase in cloud-based vulnerabilities.

Many companies are cracking down on cloud-sharing policies to combat these vulnerabilities and implementing check-ins for all employees at every point of access. Certainly, a rigorous approach to cloud-based security is crucial for any business seeking to keep hackers at bay.

Explore Cybersecurity Possibilities with BlueArmor

Every organization has its share of vulnerabilities, but the right IT security partner can help you ensure safety and security. We’d love to talk with you about that. Reach out to BlueArmor at your convenience.