Businesses were already scared of the ever-increasing computer security threats. The pandemic further added to their woes. 2021 proved to be a record-breaking year in terms of cyberattacks.
As per research, 2021 saw an all-time peak in weekly cyberattacks per organization. Each organization faced over 900 attacks per week globally.
Businesses across the globe faced numerous losses due to these attacks. As per IBM’s report, the average cost of a data breach rose from 3.86 million dollars to 4.24 million dollars in 2021.
These worrying trends are likely to carry on to 2022. It is predicted that 2022, in fact, will bring even more challenges. Businesses are likely to face even more computer security threats this year.
Cybercriminals are likely to use phishing, ransomware, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS), Man in the Middle (MITM), and other forms of attacks to cripple organizations.
We have identified the types of attacks being used. Now, let’s look at the computer security threats you should look out for in 2022.
Five Computer Security Threats to Lookout for in 2022
Businesses are likely to face the common cyber security threats from cybercriminals. Here is a look at the top five ones.
- Phishing Attacks
Phishing continues to be the number one type of threat for businesses globally. According to a report, about 90% of data breaches occur due to a phishing attack. Businesses lose an average of 4.5 million dollars due to phishing.
Phishing attacks involve cybercriminals using social engineering methods to steal valuable information. They disguise themselves as trusted entities. They dupe unsuspecting victims into opening malicious emails, links, or messages. Once the victim opens such malicious links, it can lead to the leakage of sensitive data or freezing of entire organization systems.
Businesses can protect themselves from phishing attacks by using a residential proxy. Residential proxies help businesses stay anonymous online by masking their IP address. This means cybercriminals won’t be able to identify traffic from the organization’s network.
Moreover, residential proxies have data scraping and analyzing capabilities. They can check emails and messages for harmful links and content. If any malicious code or link is found, they prevent the email from reaching your email inbox.
- Remote Workforce
Yes, you read that right. Your own workforce is a threat to your organization, especially in times of remote working.
Within the workplace, businesses can set up robust cyber security measures. They help to mitigate computer security threats. For example, businesses can have advanced firewall protection, block access to untrustworthy sites, and have other stringent cybersecurity policies in place.
But, as employees work remotely, scattered around different locations, ensuring a high degree of cybersecurity can become an issue. For example, employees might be using public WiFi for professional use. Similarly, they might not have a robust antivirus solution installed on their devices which increases the risk of a cyber attack.
Additionally, employees have become less careful about cybersecurity since work from home started. As per a survey, over a third of employees have picked up bad cyber security habits after they started working from home.
To overcome this issue, employees can use VPNs and install antivirus software. They can also educate employees about the best cyber security practices through weekly online meetings.
- Credential Stuffing
Credential stuffing attacks are on the rise. They are becoming the popular choice of attack among cybercriminals. There are two main reasons why these attacks are gaining popularity:
- Availability of database of login credentials for sale or free on the internet. For example, the Collections 1-5 database had 22 billion username and password combinations available openly.
- Rise of sophisticated bots that can attempt several logins at a much faster pace than humans.
The credential stuffing method involves using a list of compromised login credentials to gain access to confidential data from another unrelated service. The main reason these attacks are effective is that people use the same username and password across the internet.
One of the easiest ways to avoid such attacks is to have different login credentials on different websites.
- Cloud Attacks
The cloud has enabled businesses to speed up their digital transformation journey. It has enhanced collaboration, improved productivity, and streamlined operations.
But, cloud adoption also increases data security risks. About 80% of businesses have faced a cloud data breach. Some of the reasons for cloud attacks include:
- misconfiguration,
- insecure interfaces,
- lack of secure settings, and
- shadow IT use.
As the adoption of the cloud increases in 2022 and beyond, so will the risks associated with it.
Businesses can mitigate cloud attacks by using a cloud access security broker (CASB) that offers better protection of the organization’s cloud data. Moreover, business leaders can educate employees about good cloud usage and safety practices to enhance cloud security.
- Ransomware Attacks
Ransomware is one of the most common types of computer security threats to businesses. It is also one of the most dangerous forms of attack an organization can face.
Moreover, ransomware attacks are ever-evolving and getting sophisticated by the day. 2021 saw an alarming increase of 148% in global ransomware attacks. The attacks are only expected to increase in 2022.
Ransomware attacks involve gaining access to sensitive data and encrypting it. Businesses, then, have to pay a ransom to decrypt and gain access to the data again.
Some ways businesses can protect themselves from ransomware attacks include:
- having multiple data backups,
- updating system software, and
- educating employees.
Parting Thoughts
Computer security threats are going to be a big concern for businesses in 2022 and beyond. The more the world becomes dependent on the internet, cloud, and data, the greater will be a rise in threats associated with them.
Businesses need to keep a watchful eye on the computer security threats mentioned above. They need to have a robust data and cyber security plan in place to safeguard against such attacks.
Additionally, employee training and education will also play a major part in preventing attacks from affecting the organization.
We hope that your business doesn’t have to deal with any of the computer security threats in 2022 or beyond.
