Staying ahead of the curve when it comes to cybersecurity is essential in protecting your business. Technology is constantly evolving and that means that hackers are continually finding new ways to hack businesses and gain access to their devices. With more people working remotely and the challenges businesses are still facing as a result of the last few years, businesses are more vulnerable than ever. To protect your digital assets and your reputation, you need to be aware of the latest trends and there are a few ways to ensure you’re keeping on top of security.

What does cybersecurity look like as we move forward? 

Experts are in agreement that targeted network attacks will continue to affect businesses in all industries, and issues such as supply chain issues, military unrest and the pandemic have, on a global scale, created a tumultuous environment that increases the risk of data breaches. Understanding the threat of ransomware and phishing is essential, because there’s been a huge spike in threats in the past year, simply because we’re all focusing on other things. It means that cyber criminals have the upper hand in taking advantage of our lack of focus, putting businesses at risk. Only with a dedicated focus and ongoing cybersecurity training can these threats be avoided. 

Understand your company’s vulnerabilities

Before you can make changes to protect your business, you need to know where you’re most vulnerable. Each organisation is different and those vulnerabilities will vary depending on the size of your business, the industry you work in and how you operate. But keeping track of trends also means considering the ways that those trends could impact your business, and the areas that they put most at risk, so you can take appropriate preventative action. 

Detect issues early on

The threat landscape is changing all the time so having detection capabilities in place will help you keep pace as new threats are identified. As a business, your focus will often be elsewhere and you may not necessarily have time to constantly be monitoring on an individual basis. Managed detection systems will keep you on high alert without you losing focus from your day to day job, while also ensuring that your systems are protected against new threats as they emerge. Using software and technological tools helps you to stay prepared as a company so you’re ready to respond if and when you need to. 

Make training a priority

Sadly, whether knowingly or otherwise, people are often the problem when it comes to protecting your data. And it’s something that cyber criminals will play upon. Phishing and ransomware attacks are made possible in many cases by people responding to a fraudulent email or clicking on a suspicious link, and when they do so, they open up the business to a whole host of issues. 

When considering how to stay on top of cybersecurity trends, consider the human element and ensure that your team are clued up on how to act and what they should be watchful of. This is particularly true for new starters, who may be more likely to overlook best practices while getting to grips with a new routine. 

Update software where possible

Leaving your software to languish when new updates are available could leave you vulnerable to attacks, so it’s essential that you update security patches regularly to maintain protection. It keeps the systems you have in place as effective as possible. Device manufacturers and developers release software updates regularly, which contains new features and bug fixes to continually iterate on the performance. But it also means that any known flaws in the software that attackers can use to compromise the device will be protected and made harder for breaches and attacks. 

Meeting regulatory compliance requirements

Cybersecurity compliance standards may apply locally or on an international basis, but they’re in place to safeguard sensitive data and calm the major threat factors and the side effects that come with a data breach. They’re rules that are easy to follow, adaptable to your company’s technology but that keep your business and your client data safe. Regulatory controls govern the type of data your organisation can store and the type of information it is, so that data that comes with a greater risk can be protected further. Implementing a risk governance approach that’s in keeping with regulations and industry-relevant measures will ensure you’re ticking all the boxes for protection. 

Check risk advisory feeds

Finally, staying on top of cybersecurity trends may often mean doing your research into the vulnerabilities in both new and old technology. From apps and web browsers to software and operating systems, there are many personal and professional tools that could be compromised. Alert feeds will inform you of the vulnerabilities and help you protect your data more efficiently, whether that’s the National Cybersecurity Centre or another service to keep you in the loop when it comes to new threats and advances. 

Staying ahead of attackers

No matter what your focus as a business, it’s no longer possible to sit back and do nothing when it comes to protecting your data and your reputation. Even basic cyber defences can make all the difference, but if you can take that extra step to keep on top of new developments in the industry, you can make huge strides in protecting your business against unwanted access and damaging cyber attacks that could have detrimental effects if successful.