Cybersecurity Threats in 2023

Cybersecurity Threats in 2023

Businesses are still considering cybersecurity to be one of their biggest concerns going into 2023. There were a staggering number of cyber attacks in 2022 and this number is expected to grow in 2023. The cyberattacks in 2022 included 2.8 billion malware attacks, 236 million ransomware attacks, and six billion phishing attacks. With this information, it is critical that businesses make cybersecurity a top priority going into 2023. Tekscape is a managed service provider that assists their clients with proactive and responsive cybersecurity.
Here are some of the biggest cybersecurity threats in 2023 that we are predicting to see.

1. Ransomware – This is a type of malware that locks a system down or threatens to publish sensitive data and information. Ransomware attackers usually demand that their victim pay their ransom in cash or cryptocurrency. When the ransom is paid, the information is usually returned, or the system is unlocked. Ransomware attacks were 33% higher in 2022 than in 2021 and therefore we predict the threat of it will grow in 2023.

These attacks are extremely costly because not only is there monetary damage but also damage to the organization’s reputation. It makes customers distrust the company because their data is not secure and can also affect the businesses’ relationship with vendors because hackers can enter the network of the vendor through an open channel with weak security. The steps necessary to protect a business from ransomware attacks include everything from auditing security measures to thorough cybersecurity awareness training.

2. Phishing attacks – These attacks are often presented as emails that come from a trusted party but contain malicious links that can lead to ransomware and malware attacks. Unsuspecting employees are often the first victims of phishing attacks because they have not been trained to spot these bogus emails. Phishing attacks jumped 61% in 2022 and most of these were classified as credential harvesting attacks.

Credential harvesting is a type of social engineering attack that uses phishing to amass large numbers of credentials (usually usernames and passwords) for reuse. The top way to fight phishing attacks going into 2023 will be increasing employee awareness. You can work with a managed service provider like Tekscape to teach them sound email habits. The training will also cover what to do if an employee does fall victim to a phishing attack.

3. IOT (Internet of Things) – The IOT is a network of physical objects that are embedded with sensors, software, and other technologies for the purpose of connecting and exchanging data with other devices and systems over the internet. This includes many smart devices and any equipment that is run on the internet. Sixty-one percent of businesses use IOT in some capacity. Manufacturing uses the IIOT which means the industrial internet of things. IIOT will be just as vulnerable without proper protection going into 2023.

The market for IOT grew to 594 billion dollars in 2022 and is expected to reach 15.9 billion by 2030. Unfortunately, there were 1.5 billion cyberattacks against IOT devices in 2021 and which was a significant increase from the 639 million in 2020. Businesses can combat cyberattacks on their IOT devices by strictly vetting IOT vendors in the RFP process for security. IOT security defaults should also be set on the devices so that they conform to corporate standards.

Cybersecurity Threats in 2023
Cybersecurity Threats in 2023

4. Remote Work Security – Remote work is certainly not a new trend, but cybercriminals are coming up with new ways to target remote workers. Since these employees are not physically in the office, it is becoming difficult for businesses to ensure security with these workers. The most common cyberattacks that come from remote work are ransomware, phishing, and social engineering attacks. When remote employees connect to company networks with non-secured devices, they open the door for hackers to initiate these attacks.

Remote work is extremely useful; however, employees may find themselves working in teams where they do not know their peers as well. This increases the chance of impersonation scams where the user is tricked into divulging a password. There is also a physical risk to security when employees may leave their devices unattended while working in a public place such as a coffee shop. Leaving their devices unattended may result in strangers stealing sensitive company information. Lessen the chance of remote work-related cyberattacks in 2023 by making sure all employee devices are up to date with the latest security and educating employees on the risks associated with remote work.

5. Mobile related cyberattacks – Mobile devices are becoming an increasingly popular target for hackers. Two-thirds of the world’s population own them, and several businesses have designed apps to be compatible with mobile phones. With the pandemic, more people turned to their mobile devices for business purposes and that means more sensitive data is being stored on these phones. This data may include email accounts, financial information, and credit card information.

It is estimated that seventy percent of fraudulent transactions occur through a mobile device. Children are also at high risk for cyber threats when using mobile phones as 6 out of 10 children have experienced a cyberattack of some sort while using their mobile device. There are several ways to keep your mobile device secure going into 2023. The easiest is to make sure the phone is up to date with the latest security patches. It is also wise to not connect to public Wi-Fi as these networks make it incredibly easy for hackers to gain access to steal valuable information.

If you are concerned about these cybersecurity threats in 2023, Tekscape offers a managed security plan that minimizes future costs and responds fast to threats. We offer several options for individual managed security services.
• ArcticWolf – SOC-as-a-Service, Incident Response
• Okta – Identity Access Management
• KnowBe4 – Cybersecurity Awareness Training
• SentinelOne – Endpoint Protection
• Cisco Umbrella – DNS Web filtering
• DNSFilter – DNS / Web filtering
• Cisco AMP – Endpoint Protection
• Mimecast – Email security
• Cisco Email Security – Email security
• CrowdStrike – Endpoint Protection

Contact us today to learn more about our managed security services to combat cybersecurity threats in 2023.