Unfortunately, 2023 ended up proving itself a watershed year for data breaches. Numerous sources report that data compromises have soared to an all-time high – and that is just for the first 9 months of the year? Thus many are fearing that 2024 will bring even high numbers. Inevitably creating more chaos.
The last record was breached in 2021. That particular year, an astounding 1,862 organizations reported data compromises. Looking at statistics from January to September 2023, the number had already surged well over 2,100.
In all, Q3 of 2023 held some of the most notable compromises. Including:
- HCA Healthcare
- Maximus
- The Freecycle Network
- IBM Consulting
- CareSource
- Duolingo
- Tampa General Hospital
- PH Tech
This data underlines the malicious and relentless efforts cybercriminals will go through to exploit vulnerabilities and access sensitive information. Let us take a moment to highlight some of the main drivers of this increase. And the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in businesses both large and small.
Healthcare Under Siege
One extremely disturbing trend is the escalation of breaches in the healthcare sector. As one might imagine, healthcare databases are a minefield of sensitive information. As a result, they have been increasingly high-value targets for cybercriminals. On top of jeopardizing private patient information, these focused attacks pose serious risks to the integrity of medical records.
A data compromise in such sensitive sectors creates a ripple effect that can be hard to recover from.
Ransomware Still Reigns Supreme
Ransomware continues to dominate the cybersecurity landscape and sophistication is on the rise. Cybercriminals are not just after data but wielding the threat of encryption unless a big pay-out is obtained from the company under siege.
Even if you manage to pull together enough funds to buy your way out of this tangle, there’s no guarantee you will receive your data back. Thus, the best recipe for battling ransomware is prevention.
Vodigy employs a multi-layered suite of security products to do just that. We also employ a type of cyber security called ‘Endpoint Security’. This is a type of protection gives your company and IT provider the ability to remove an infected computer from the main network until any security issues are completely resolved.
IoT Devices & Unsecure Entry Points
Kitchen enthusiasts got an unexpected startle in 2016 when it was discovered that cybercriminals could steal data through an IoT crock pot.
While the application may have been a handy tool, it featured unsecure connections which lead some people into havoc.
While IoT devices have come a long way, cybercriminals are still taking advantage of weak security exploits. This includes IoT devices for your home, office, and ironically even security devices!
Make sure to do your research when it comes to purchasing new smart devices for both your home and office. It may make the difference!
Of course, should you need help selecting IoT devices to improve the efficiency of your business Vodigy can help. With our experience using multitudes of IoT devices, we can help steer you in the right direction.
A Need for a Paradigm Shift in Cybersecurity
The recent surges in cybersecurity underscore a larger issue: the need for a paradigm shift in how we think about and challenge breaches. We are unfortunately moving into a time period where breaches are no longer a question of if, but when.
Some proactive measures one can employ include:
- Robust cybersecurity framework
- Continuous monitoring
- A culture of cyber awareness
These could be essential for mitigating the overall risk when it comes to cyber threats.
Collaboration & Sharing Information
Collaboration and information sharing between organizations (large and small) will be critical to our success against the rising cybersecurity threats. Organizations like CISA are spearheading this type of cooperation.
By gathering intelligence and sharing it with the community, we build one of the strongest defense against common adversaries. Afterall, we are all stronger together!
Help Protect Your Business with Vodigy
Overall, the surge of data breaches in 2023 should serve as a stark reminder to all. Cyber threats are ever evolving and the battle will only get more difficult.
By understanding how these breaches occur and what we can collectively do to defend against it, we have a brightly glowing future ahead of us.
Getting Started on the Right Foot
Technology can quickly become overwhelming, why not let Vodigy handle the heavy lifting?
With some of the most robust and reliable security measures on the market, Vodigy is uniquely positioned to help SMBs across the Twin Cities succeed.
