Companies face a variety of threats to data and digital operations. Data is the world’s most valuable resource, so it’s essential to protect it from any threats that may come your way. Cybersecurity is about defending your networks, systems, and applications from cyberattacks. Whether you are concerned about cybersecurity or not, knowing the statistics behind it can help you mitigate the risks you face.
Cybersecurity Statistics
Data breaches. Data breaches expose sensitive information that often leaves exposed users at risk for identity theft, ruin companies’ reputations, and almost always leave the company responsible for compliance violations. 60% of organizations had more than 20 incidents per year, and most of these cybersecurity incidences were caused by human error. Anything exposed or shared without permission could completely derail your protected information. Where do cyberattacks come from? The increase of cyberattacks is a concern among business leaders, and for a good reason. Hackers will attack every 39 seconds, 2,244 times a day. That means on average:
- 45% of breaches included hacking
- 22% of breaches contained errors as causal events
- 22% had social attacks
- 17% included malware
- 8% involved misuse by authorized users
Who is at risk? Hackers still compromise corporate data and systems regularly and with relative ease. This is because organizations lack cybersecurity awareness and use poor practices that result in their data being unprotected and vulnerable to theft and breaches. In a Security Boulevard survey, it was indicated that “57% of SMBs believe online criminals won’t target them; however, nearly 20% reported an attack in [2019].” About 9 in 10 Americans are somewhat concerned about hacking that involves their personal information, financial institutions, government agencies, or certain utilities when there is not a lot of protection available. How are you affected? Major hacking events have witnessed businesses suffer costly losses of data, customer details, financial records, and personal information. KnowBe4 found that industry-wide, “31.4% of untrained users will fail a phishing test. Once trained, only 16.4% of users failed within 90 days of completing their training.” Your business’s reputation, finances, etc., are all at risk no matter what industry you’re in. Why should you be concerned? Unfortunately, many people view cyberattacks as someone else’s problem. In reality, there are many potential common security mistakes, such as leaving data unprotected and using weak passwords, that make organizations vulnerable to breaches. In 2020, the average cost of a data breach was 3.86 million which could have easily been avoided. You could change these statistics within your company; you need to understand the risks. Don’t let your business become a statistic. We provide our clients with the cybersecurity services they require to balance security and productivity sustainably and cost-effectively. IT security applies to all principles of the Aldridge Framework for Successful IT, but it cannot stand alone. The right IT strategy, design, implementation, and support resources are crucial to implementing a cybersecurity roadmap for optimal business resilience. We apply our Framework for Successful IT approach to all aspects of our outsourced IT services and consulting. Please find out more about how our team can help you understand your cybersecurity needs and goals and schedule time to speak with an Aldridge team member today.