The Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile devices have made life easier—and a little less secure. Yet the convenience of on-the-go computing and interconnectivity of devices comes at a cost; risk.
According to a recent Symantec Internet Security Threat Report, there are 25 connected devices per 100 people in the U.S. While this might seem like a lot, the number of connected ‘things’ is projected to grow to 8.4 billion in 2017 alone.
This IoT and mobile explosion has contributed to the exponential growth of the cybersecurity market. More than 25 percent of the world’s population stays connected to their friends, family and world through Facebook each month.
That’s an incredible number of selfies and baby pictures being shared potentially though corporate devices and networks. It also widens the threat landscape and demands that social media outlets from Twitter to YouTube implement stronger security controls as threats evolve.
It’s Just a Matter of Time
Another security challenge; the speed of adoption of online everything. Each minute $751,522 is spent online. Securing those transactions from credit card breaches means increased cybersecurity spending for both the technology and retail sectors.
As more devices and users conduct business online and through use of private, public and hybrid clouds, cybersecurity spending to combat cybercrime continues to skyrocket. It’s estimated that by 2019, the cybersecurity cost to business will be more than $2 trillion.
The investments in cybersecurity show promising results. Fortinet neutralizes 140,000 malware programs per minute, yet many organizations still feel they are unprepared for an attack. These feelings of fear, uncertainty and doubt is no surprise given the fact the Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR) indicates that 43 percent of breaches were social attacks, with one in 14 phishing victims opening the link. Given that hackers attack every 39 seconds, every one of the 156 million emails sent each minute makes more users vulnerable to phishing attacks.
Check out the Real Time Threat Map to get a visual on current threat activity.
Speeding Past Risk With the 4T’s of Security
Fortinet’s FortiGuard threat prevention is working. Even though eight out of 10 hacking-related breaches involved stolen credentials, Fortinet blocked 170,000 malicious website accesses and resisted 545,000 network intrusion attempts per minute. Using what Fortinet calls the ‘4T’s of cybersecurity:
#1: Timeliness
The best way to protect against new and emerging threats includes timeliness; acting proactively with comprehensive security tools and staying current with updates and patches.
#2: Training
Whether malicious or accidental, nearly one-quarter of breaches results from insiders, making training critical. This includes fortifying your weakest link through employee awareness and using a fabric approach to reduce the likelihood of a phishing or malware attack.
#3: Technology
Firewalls alone won’t defend against a malicious attacker; if a hacker wants in, they will likely get in, so you need the right technology to ensure that if an intruder does penetrate security, they can’t get out. This requires a fabric that integrates tools and provides actionable intelligence.
#4: Testing
Having the right Internet strategies in place doesn’t do much if your tools aren’t tested. Running scans and simulation attacks informs you of security gaps so you can address vulnerabilities before a breach occurs.
Xiologix has the experience and most comprehensive technology to help you understand your cybersecurity and build a stronger security program to better defend against cyber threats today and tomorrow. Contact us to learn more.
