What We Can Learn from the 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report

Starting in 2008, Verizon has produced a report outlining the cybersecurity incident trends that the previous year demonstrated. In doing so, they have provided a resource that gives businesses greater insights into where their cybersecurity efforts need to be focused. Let’s go over some of 2019’s trends and insights that were highlighted in the Verizon Business 2020 Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR).

Yes, Small Businesses ARE a Target

Somehow, the false idea that a smaller organization is immune to cyberattacks by virtue of its size seems to persist. The reason that this is untrue is a simple one: data, the target of modern cybercriminals, has equal value to a cybercriminal regardless of its source. This persistent idea of size-based invulnerability means that many small businesses overestimate their safety.

It also doesn’t help that many modern cyberattacks require little effort on the cybercriminal’s part, so it only makes sense to attack a wider swath of targets.

Finally, it should be mentioned that much of the data that a cybercriminal would want is precisely the kind that a small business would have. For instance, there are countless small medical practices out there. The financial data and medical records they keep are no less valuable than those kept at a major hospital or medical facility, so why would a cybercriminal be any less interested?

Humans are the Weakest Link

The DBIR also reiterated how many attacks focused on exploiting the imperfect nature of the user, rather than seeking out vulnerabilities or brute-forcing their way in. There is a reason that phishing attacks are so common, after all, and it isn’t as though every cyberthreat is maliciously motivated, either. Plenty of data loss occurs through honest human error, something that cybercriminals have not been shy about leveraging in phishing attacks and social engineering.

The Best Protection is Proactive

If you are to keep your business safe from the threats that could harm it, you need to take it upon yourself to keep up with these trends and take the steps needed to prevent such attempts before they become necessary. The expert team at Techworks Consulting, Inc. is here to help with that. Find out more about our services by giving us a call at (631) 285-1527, or by exploring the rest of our website.