The foundations of our world have increasingly become dependent on the digital infrastructure that has been built under it. Individuals and organizations have built cyberspaces through which they communicate and share information with one another. The safety of these networks is of utmost importance because every type of sensitive data flows through them.
Cybersecurity is known as the process of protecting these spaces. Today, it is being threatened by malicious elements who want to make a few easy bucks for themselves. Therefore, each and every place where transactions are happening digitally has come under some form of cyberattack. Despite the seriousness of the situation, many people are still unaware of what’s happening. Here’s what people need to know about cybersecurity:
It is one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century
In the introduction, we mentioned that cybercriminals are trying to make “a few easy bucks’ from it. In truth, however, it’s not few at all. By 2021, it is expected that hackers will be costing $6 trillion worth of damages each year. This number is staggering on its own but when we compare it to the fact that it was only half just five years ago, the extent of the problem becomes even more evident.
What’s more mind-boggling is that this is just the start of it. In the US, there is a cyber attack recorded every 40 seconds. The average loss which is suffered at each cyberattack is close to $150,000. And it’s not just companies but households too. The organizations which suffer hacks and cyberattacks are not small ones. Facebook and IBM are just two of the most noteworthy examples. It just goes to show the degree to which cybersecurity is being threatened.
It is a threat for households as much as it is for companies
It is a common misconception among people that only companies are the potential targets for cyberattacks. However, this is far from the truth. Individuals and household users are just as susceptible to hacks and threats from cybercriminals as businesses are. The cyberattacks which occur on personal computers at home are not as widely documented as those which companies face.
The reason behind this is simple. Organizational attacks are thought to be much more devastating. Still, collectively, household cyberattacks are quite damaging to the industry. Individual computers are much easier to hack and corrupt because the maximum security they have is anti-virus but they have other valuable information like credit card and bank information etc.
Awareness is the first step towards prevention
Talking about the assumptions which people have regarding cyberattacks on a personal level, it is important to emphasize that awareness is crucial. In organizations, more than 80% of breaches occur due to employee negligence. This is a statistic which is repeatedly quoted by reliable sources. Employees are people and this shows that they are just as unprepared as the organizations that they work for.
One of the most important things in this regard is to learn about the situation itself. The most frequent medium which hackers use is email attachments. They send files along with emails which are in trusted formats like MS Excel or Word. Obviously, anyone who receives such an email may be intrigued by it and will open it nonetheless. As soon as the file pops open though, the system is compromised.
Cybercrimes are evolving quicker than our defenses
Furthermore, this is not the end of it. Cybercriminals have the edge over us. They made the first move and have stayed a step ahead of us since the beginning. As organizations and individuals become weary of the threat by taking extensive precautions, hackers and other cybercriminals are working on more sophisticated ways to beat these systems. Another thing that people should know about their enemy!
Conclusion
Cybersecurity and cybercrimes are antonyms as most of you might already know by now. Cybersecurity is as imperative as the threat from cybercrimes is enormous. Without the proper knowledge and awareness about the situation, it is difficult to win in a field where we are already a step-down. Organizations and people have to stay up to date with the challenges and developments in cybersecurity to know at least what they are dealing with.