Cyber-Attacks Targeting Your SMB (and How to Beat Them)

05.28.2019

A cyberattack can be devastating for a business and cyber criminals are getting savvier, faster, and stealthier, which is why you need to know what to look out for in order to protect yourself, your employees, and your company as a whole. When they evolve, we have to evolve faster.

Here are some of the cyberattacks you should watch for in 2019:

#1: Internet of Things (IoT) Devices

The Internet of Things is the continuously growing network of devices that use internet connectivity in some way, and includes all communications between the embedded technology and external systems. Phones, tablets and laptops are obvious ones, but IoT devices include cars, security systems, thermostats, speaker systems, and other electronic appliances.  As IoT devices get connected to the internet, each adds another vulnerability in the network ecosystem…making companies using them more susceptible to attack vectors.

 

At a minimum you should think about including IoT devices in your overall security assessments, change default passwords (and change passwords regularly), and ensure that you have a process for taking inventory of and securing new devices before they become part of your everyday work environment.

#2: Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Information Warfare

It’s no HAL 9000 or Skynet. It’s much less obvious than that. And for better or worse, it doesn’t come in the form of Arnold Schwarzenegger. The consequences, though, can still be killer.

A wide range of businesses see a lot of benefit in AI technology, and the use of AI across industries is growing. But as this technology develops, it continues
to be highly vulnerable to a range of cyberattacks. Because you’re dealing with an algorithm and not a person, compromised AI carries a high risk of spreading false information, the possibility of skewed bias, among a number of other vulnerabilities. “Deep fake” videos are a major weapon in influence operations, and businesses should build systems to monitor and alert communications teams of any news about the organization to screen for false reports and combat misinformation.

That’s not suggest you abandon AI as a useful tool – only a word of caution that to best utilize AI technology to your company’s advantage, cyber security (and some creative thinking about how to address vulnerabilities) needs to be a top priority.

#3: Weaponization of Adware Networks

Typically, we think of adware as irritating, as opposed to truly harmful. And yes, that might have been more true in the dial-up days, but adware threats have become increasingly persistent and damaging and should not be underestimated.

Any cyber security plan that doesn’t proactively detect and destroy attacks from adware networks is sorely lacking.

#4: Expanding Wireless Attack Surface

If you think of your combined networks as a vast landscape and every device and IP address as a point of access with multiple potential entryways, you start to grasp the scope of just how much territory you have to defend from relentless hackers and cyber-attacks. Securing your network starts to look like a Herculean task – and it can be. But it doesn’t have to be.

To start with, expand your penetration test assessments to ensure you’re covering all ground. Always disable unused wireless protocols when possible, and consider other options such as a network cloaking solution, which essentially hides your devices from potential hackers. Look, cyber-attacks aren’t going anywhere. As long as there are good people conducting business and using the internet, there will be bad people who try to capitalize on that. But that’s where we come in. Our whole purpose is to protect your company so you can do what you do best. There are innovative solutions being developed as you read this, but the path to protection starts with a question: how secure is your SMB enterprise? Maybe it’s time you find your answer.

Learn how we can help you on your Cybersecurity journey.

Download our Security Assessment today.

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