Businesses no longer have only their brick and mortar security to worry about. Their presence online as well as local and cloud-based data are all at risk. The news seems constantly filled with stories of data breaches, ransomware crimes, and hacking that has brought some companies to their knees. It’s a criminal lawyers dream.
It’s no wonder that cyber-crime is at the top of the list of concerns most corporate boards are facing. Even well prepared sophisticated companies have found chinks in their armor. Below are five of the cyber-crime threats to face companies in 2018.
The Hoard Is Growing
The sheer quantity of cyber-criminals will continue to grow in 2018. Why? Because the technology enabling these people is becoming easier to learn, access, and deploy. In years gone by you’ve needed to be a computer genius to even contemplate running a hack, but today that landscape has changed forever. Today limited technical knowledge is required to launch sophisticated viruses. And the press isn’t helping. Every time a cyber-crime is publicized hackers take notice and redouble their efforts. For example, many news outlets reported that ransomware was a billion dollar industry in 2017; how could any reasonable hacker resist such a juicy honey pot?
Are You An Unknowing Cryptominer?
According to criminal lawyers, Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin require vast amounts of computer power to “mine”, and with limited resources, hackers have become proficient at hijacking individual and company computers to do their mining for them. Countless corporations have fallen victim unknowingly to this form of “cryptojacking”. Unbeknownst to them, their internal computer networks have been working for another master, the cryptojacker who’s taken over and using their machines to mine for gold.