Cybersecurity
5 Common Misconceptions About Cyber Security
As cybercrime continues to rise, so does the growing list of misconceptions. The pandemic drove internet usage up by 50% compared to last year, and experts say until businesses prioritize Cyber Security, the number of cyberattacks will keep climbing.
Thrive’s CISO, Chip Gibbons, reviews the most common misconceptions about Cyber Security and debunks the myths.
Cyber Security – Misconception #1
When your system is compromised, you will notice the breach immediately.
Gibbons: A majority of the compromises are from issues that have been lingering for a while. A company could have a server on the internet that they didn’t either realize or know about or it hasn’t been patched in a long time. Those are the areas where you want to strengthen your Cyber Security. Its crucial businesses know where all their assets are, that they’re patched and they’re secure.
Cyber Security – Misconception #2
The bigger the company, the better the security.
Gibbons: Not necessarily. The size of the business doesn’t mean they’re better or worse at security. I’ve gone into enterprise businesses where I am frankly frightened and I’ve gone into small businesses where I am thinking, wow, they’re really good. It depends on at what level that company has prioritized security. It’s difficult because businesses don’t want to spend money right now but, in this instance, but they have to.
Cyber Security – Misconception #3
Cyber Security is not worth a huge investment.
Gibbons: A lot of businesses aren’t keeping up with their Cyber Security because perhaps years ago when they got an initial quote, they couldn’t afford it. But that’s not the case anymore. It is affordable and companies just need to do some research. A breach at a large company can cost millions of dollars and suddenly the two thousand dollars a month it would have cost to just update and monitor their Cyber Security does not seem so outrageous.
Cyber Security – Misconception 4
Viruses are the biggest cyber threat.
Gibbons: Right now, in Cyber Security, we’re seeing a huge increase in account compromised types of attacks. Phishing, where cybercriminals attempt to collect confidential data through emails and websites, has always been somewhat of a big area for cybercriminals and it’s growing rapidly. Phishing was the number one cause of data breaches in 2019, and in 2020 phishing attacks have become even more sophisticated and highly targeted.
Cyber Security – Misconception 5
Company information can’t be as easily compromised with employees working from home.
Gibbons: It was a big change to move employees from the office to a remote setting and when it happened, it happened very quickly. But just because you send your employees home doesn’t mean they are secure. Cybercriminals are banking on a lack of security for remote workers so employers need to make sure employees have antivirus and all the standard security precautions they would in the office. During the COVID-19, a great deal of our time at Thrive has been spent working with clients to make sure that their end-users are safe, and they are connecting securely into their network.
Whether your company is in the office or remote, Thrive provides IT security solutions that deliver proven comprehensive protection for your business.