With 2020 coming to a close, now is the time to look to 2021 and beyond – especially as it relates to the ever-changing digital world we live in. While only time will tell what the new year has in store, we anticipate that our online presence will continue to grow rapidly. With that, we expect more cybersecurity challenges to emerge.
Below, we’re discussing our cybersecurity predictions for 2021. By understanding what digital security might look like in the coming year, you can take the right precautions to protect yourself.
Cybercriminals Will Continue to Target Remote Workers
It’s expected that many businesses will continue remote operations at least into the first half of 2021. We already saw some of the cybersecurity impacts of remote work in 2020, and we anticipate that this will continue to be an issue well into the new year.
Specifically, hackers will likely target more remote workers with phishing, ransomware, and other types of attacks. These tactics will be especially successful against those following a “bring-your-own-device” (BYOD) protocol, potentially causing significant revenue losses for businesses with this setup.
Virtual Private Networks Will Pose Vulnerabilities for Businesses
When businesses began making the switch to work-from-home setups, many of them opted for virtual private networks (VPNs) as a means of establishing a remote network quickly and affordably. Unfortunately, VPNs are not designed to be a long-term solution, and it’s easy for many hackers to exploit and attack them. In 2021 and beyond, companies are encouraged to seek out more secure options for long-term remote work.
Hackers Will Compromise Machine Learning Data
In 2021, hackers may begin to execute ransomware attacks on machine learning data. Specifically, these cybercriminals could gain access to training information used in machine learning models and then inject their own poisoned data into the system. From there, they can essentially hold the original data hostage and require organizations to pay a ransom to restore it.
The U.S. Will Expand Data Privacy Legislation on a State Level
New legislation for data privacy standards are also on the horizon and will likely appear in 2021. If these laws pass, there may be major changes to the data privacy standards that businesses are held to, which will require them to make sweeping upgrades to their cybersecurity systems.
Identity-Centric Security Will Become More Important
As more businesses continue to work in a remote digital environment, identity-as-the-perimeter security will become increasingly important. This principle relies on things like a user’s location, the system they’re using, and other factors to verify a person’s identity for security reasons.
What Does This Mean For You?
These are just a few of our projections for upcoming cybersecurity trends that your business should be aware of moving into 2021. With these predictions in mind, now may be a good time to evaluate your current security setup and determine its efficacy for mitigating emerging threats.
Remember: Your hosting plan also plays a vital role in your organization’s data security. If you aren’t already using a dedicated server, it’s best to make the switch now so that you can move into 2021 with more confidence and peace of mind.
Saturday, January 9, 2021