It's hard to imagine how life would be without digital technology. But, while digital technology has made life more efficient, cybercriminals are everywhere, and online data is no longer secure. It's crucial for individuals and firms to invest in cybersecurity measures to ensure the confidentiality and safety of their data.

What is Cybersecurity?

Cybersecurity is the process of protecting computers, networks, mobile devices, servers, and data from risks of corruption or theft. It also means processes required to recover files and data from attempted cyber-attacks.

Threats That Require Cybersecurity Measures

When it comes to infiltrating data systems, cybercriminals have several techniques to execute attacks, including:

• Denial-of-service (DoS) Attacks- It's when the hacker overwhelms a network or server bandwidth to prevent other people from using it.
• Phishing Attacks- This involves using fake emails or SMS to lure people into offering personal information such as passwords and credit card details to hackers.
• Man-in-the-middle (MitM) Attack- In this case, the hacker inserts themselves in between a two-party communication to steal data.
• SQL Injection Attack- Through a vulnerable site search box, the cybercriminal places malicious code onto the SQL. This allows the hacker to access data otherwise kept off-limits.
• Malware- This is when malicious software is activated on a server or computer to encrypt and lock files down. It can also be used to track and record your internet history, bank details, and passwords. This malicious program is typically delivered through emails or downloads from suspicious sites.
• Password Attack – The intruder will try to crack your password, typically a weak one, to gain access into one or more user accounts on a network.
• Social Media Hacking- This is when a hacker hijacks a firm's social media account so as to send harmful or irrelevant content to the followers.

Why Is Cybercrime Increasing?

The possibility of being hit by a cyberattack is always on the rise. Here are a few reasons for this increase and why cybersecurity is important:

• Ease of cybercrime execution and increase profitability on the dark web
• It's challenging to track cybercrime, and hence hackers find it convenient to exploit the cyberspace
• User negligence, in which data users create weak passwords or unintentionally forward sensitive information and therefore gives hackers the opportunity to access and take control of networks
• Technological advancement and the distributed nature of the internet
• The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) and mobile devices
• The ability of hackers to attack firms outside their jurisdiction, making policing challenging

Reasons Why You Should Consider Cybersecurity

Here are 10 reasons why cybersecurity is important in 2021:

#1. Keep your data safe

Businesses need to keep sensitive data protected from unauthorized access. Data breaches can result in loss of information, which can cause clients to lose confidence in your firm. Besides, security incidents can attract bad publicity that can cause irreversible reputational damage to the organizations involved. That can make it difficult for another organization to collaborate or integrate with your company because they wouldn't want to put their reputation at risk.

#2. Ensure the business stays operational

Cyberattacks can take money and time to resolve, with an average breach taking over 55 days. Protecting your data means that you'll avoid the unnecessary cost of repairing damaged systems, and your employees will stay focused on being productive and propelling the business agendas forward. Hence, by investing in data security measures, you can safeguard your company's uninterrupted economic progress.

#3. Prevent Identity theft

Identity theft is where hackers steal personal information and sell it for profit. This can pose a great risk to you and other victims. In some instances, the hackers use the stolen information to extort money from people. You can prevent these privacy concerns by investing in a sophisticated cybersecurity strategy.

#4. Increased cybercrimes

As the use of cloud, internet-ready devices, and online services increase, so are the risks. Hackers are becoming more sophisticated, changing their targets and methods of attacking different security systems. That means a robust cybersecurity approach is no longer a luxury but essential for all organizations.

#5. Faster speed of broadband service

With the advent of the 5G network, there is expanded and multidimensional cybercrime vulnerability. This cyber vulnerability makes it hard to retool how companies would secure the crucial networks. Therefore, the redefined nature of networks requires a similarly redefined cybersecurity strategy.

#6. Technologies that automate cyber attacks

Modern technology, including IoT, has increased the number of connected devices exponentially. Hackers can today utilize machine learning and artificial intelligence to trigger automated cybercrimes. These attacks can compromise a company's security systems without any human intervention. The automated attacks pose a global scare since they can be done on a mass volume.

#7. Prevent unauthorized access

For many firms, the security of their valuable data is a primary concern. A sound cybersecurity strategy can lower the likelihood of unauthorized access that might steal, manipulate, or erase the information.

#8. Data backup

Without cybersecurity, you face constant risks of losing vital information due to brute force attacks, data breaches, and unexpected system shutdown. Cybersecurity strategies easily create several backups of your data. This is essentially beneficial when dealing with large data analysis as the chances of system failure is high.

#9. Avoid lawsuits

Since cybercrime can inflict severe damages, it is the business's legal responsibility to protect sensitive data about their clients. If data was or corrupted, the company could land into serious issues, including lawsuits. That might require you to pay huge sums of money as legal fees and settlements.

#10. It'll keep you compliant with the law

Legislation such as the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) has placed laws and fines for anyone involved in data breaches. Besides, with cybercrime threats increasing, new laws might be required to safeguard the clients from potential hacks. Hence, it is essential to invest in up-to-date cybersecurity measures to comply with the legislation and avoid harsh penalties.

Ending Thoughts

Today, we are accessing and utilizing digital data more than ever. This has increased the vulnerability to breach threats, making cybersecurity a crucial concern. Thus, it's vital for firms and individuals to go the extra mile of incorporating cybersecurity solutions to defend themselves against cyberattacks.