Seems not long ago we were joyfully, if cautiously, preparing for the festive season (and all the attacks that would come with it) but somehow we’re already knocking on Spring’s door.
And, if the first couple of weeks of January were anything to go by, we’re in for another thrill ride of tiers, lockdown and remote working.
Like any year, most people begin them by visualising how the next 12 months will look and 2021 should be no different.
So, as you begin to chart the business roadmap ahead and rev up those engines, we’ve outlined some of the essential cyber security products to keep your business motoring along – buckle up.
Email Security – protecting the beating heart of business
Email is the beating heart of all modern businesses and in 2020 there were 306.4 billion emails sent each day.
Understandably, the communications method retains the top spot as people globally have taken up working remotely as part of a new norm.
Staff working completely outside the traditional perimeter has brought additional business risks with it, as the usual reassurance of checking with colleagues in the office if an email ‘looks legit’ is no longer an option.
Advanced CEO and Invoice Fraud attacks have been a growing blight on the inboxes of high-value staff in accounts, payroll or senior positions.
As detailed in our research, 86% of professionals agree that email security threats have become more sophisticated over the past decade and the channel is the first destination cyber criminals flock to.
With layered email security solutions that can conduct algorithmic analysis and link scanning, businesses can protect themselves against traditional attacks such as phishing scams, as well as more sophisticated threats including Business Email Compromise (BEC) that impersonate trusted sources in a bid to obtain confidential information.
Web Security – locking down the internet
Web security is an essential component for companies to protect themselves from online assault.
Findings from our lockdown report detailed that 67% of respondents surveyed are participating in unproductive web activities and so introducing unnecessary risk, with 35% choosing to use streaming services including Netflix on work devices and 11% even turning to adult sites.
With such admissions of guilt, it’s clear that employees don’t take the risks of these activities seriously.
Companies can defend against malware from the web and other inappropriate NSFW material through a robust web security solution, which can also manage the productivity-sapping time spent on non-work-related websites.
A web security solution that is designed for lightning-fast response times globally and centrally controlled in the cloud, means consistent service, and protection, no matter the location of the user.
On the subject of location, cloud applications have been incredibly valuable in supporting remote workers throughout a challenging year, and usage has soared. Adding a CASB solution alongside Web Security will give security teams detailed visibility into and control of the usage of cloud apps, while adding an additional layer of protection against app-specific attacks and data loss.
MFA – beyond the password
Studies have shown us time and time again that people can’t be trusted to use strong passwords to protect their online accounts.
A Nordpass analysis of 275,699,516 passwords leaked during breaches in 2020 revealed the top passwords of choice are still shockingly simple:
- 123456
- 123456789
- picture1
- password
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) can support businesses in their endeavours to batten down the hatches and solve the password problem.
MFA uses contextual information including time of day, location, device etc during logins, alongside OTPs delivered via a range of methods, to ensure passwords are no longer a single point of failure and set an attacker the difficult task of having to access a secondary authentication factor.
Importantly, authentication should only be challenged if unusual contextual factors are identified, or after a reasonable duration of time, to avoid excess friction.
So, what are the essential cyber security products needed to get your business through 2021 safely?
Robustly covering core threat vectors with Email Security, Web Security integrated with CASB, and MFA you can be sure your company and staff will be protected from even the most advanced of attacks.
What’s more, if you use a cloud security platform like ours, you can consolidate the management and reporting from all those key security areas to gain exceptional visibility and control, achieve seamless protection through integration, and consolidate costs.
To find out even more about how you can keep your business safe during these challenging times, be sure to download our report – Empowering the People: Critical Cyber Security Challenges.
