Cyber security 2021: software house to the rescue

New cyber security challenges

Last year we all moved to working from home, although the benefits are numerous, the risks are also increasing in parallel. Companies have changed their approach to work and information security. Perimeter security has lost its previous meaning as the office has moved to employees’ private computers. Working with a software house offers hope for overcoming current threats and those yet to come.

Data is a relatively new and valuable commodity. There is an unimaginable amount of it. From commercial, personal, financial to medical data. It’s important, both to the company that stores it and to the people who are affected by it. Unfortunately, it can become a terrifying tool for manipulation when it gets into the hands of hackers.

Software House: a challenge for creativity

The reality is changing rapidly and will continue to do so. IT departments are being forced to be more and more creative. This applies to large companies as well as startups. Although the number of cyber attacks is increasing, the budget allocated for protection, is decreasing. In numbers, this is demonstrated as follows:

• In 2020, big companies’ spending on data protection fell 26% from the previous year
• Finances allocated to IT and data protection departments will likely continue to shrink
• IT budgets have also decreased in the SME segment, by about 10%

For the IT industry, this means more work with decreasing funds. Therefore, it is all the more worthwhile to use the help of a software house where creative work is perfectly combined with knowledge and business experience. And also with the awareness of threats, not only the current ones but also those that may arise.

The biggest threats to startups and companies

Cybersecurity experts ESET have published a report, “Trends in Cyber Security 2021,” which sheds light on the threats that await us this year. Among other things, the report highlights the following three trends:

• Attacks on corporate networks using remote worker devices
• New ransomware tactics
• Variability in the techniques and methods of cyberattacks

As technology develops, so does cybercrime. Therefore, you should not underestimate the protection of your information. Instead of waiting for an unpleasant surprise, it is better to decide to work with a software house that knows exactly how to deal with this type of threats and what tools to use to prevent them.

Running a startup or business? Beware of working from home

With the outbreak of the pandemic, corporate software has made its way to home computers and private smartphones. Both large companies and startups can no longer rely on the security of the corporate network, which is separate from the external environment. According to experts, the best security strategy will be to implement inspections and certify employee workspaces.

By outsourcing offered by software houses, companies and startups will be able to save money that would otherwise have to be spent on maintaining a full complement of highly specialized cybersecurity experts. Working with a software house can also be used to provide training for data security staff.

Ransomeware – a known enemy, new methods

Criminals using ransomware attacks will not only demand a ransom to unlock seized files, but will also threaten to expose their contents online. Extortion and data exfiltration are not new phenomena, but their scale is sure to grow.

With companies and startups taking a more security-conscious approach, hackers are also becoming more flexible and not relying on one chosen attack mechanism. Thwarting such crimes or meticulous backup and restore processes are not enough to stop a determined criminal demanding a ransom.

Startup: software house collaboration and threat volatility

Over the past few years, cybercrime groups have begun using increasingly complex techniques to launch targeted attacks. These, based on “fileless malware,” exploit operating system tools and processes for malicious purposes. For example, in cyber espionage campaigns, where the main targets of the strikes include government computers.

This phenomenon increases the need for security teams to develop solutions that not only prevent damage to computer systems, but can detect and respond to attacks before problems arise. A good solution is to work with a software house that has experience and extensive knowledge of the needs and issues relevant to industries using different technological solutions.

Multicloud for businesses and startups – a stairway to heaven?

Migration to the cloud is one of the main priorities of companies, and a solution well known to startups. Through the experience of remote work and the need to ensure the availability of corporate resources, companies allocate 1/3 of their IT investments to the cloud. This trend will continue to grow.

“It should also be remembered that the use of services offered in the cloud model does not relieve the entrepreneur from worrying about their own security. Both the operator and the client are responsible for protecting data processed in the cloud, and cooperation is the basis here. It is the users themselves who pose the greatest threat to data processed in a cloud. That is why today it is so important that, along with the cloud transformation, users remember about the basic principles of security.” – says Artur Kopaczka (CEO at ANS-Connect Spółka) in a comment to the GDPR in the e-Commerce report.

Working together in the interest of safety

The growth of technology and the reorganization of work brings with it numerous challenges due to the parallel growth of cybercrime. That’s why it’s worth reminding yourself of strategies such as:

• Working from the ground up – basic security measures do not lose their importance as technology advances. It’s a good idea to choose data centers that protect information from unauthorized access.
• Backup – people are divided into those who create backups and those who do not. Meanwhile, it is the second most popular IT security product. It is surpassed only by antivirus and anti-malware software.
• Disaster Recovery Plan – the basis is the assumption that at any time a large-scale failure may occur, crippling the IT infrastructure and the operation of the entire company. It can be caused by human error, natural causes or cyber attack. Therefore, securing the infrastructure is not only about protecting data, but also about ensuring fast access to all services offered by the company.

Software House – choose wisely

Startups entering the world of e-commerce don’t have to be experts in all things IT security. As a startup owner, you need to know what to expect from the service provider with whom you are going to cooperate and to whom you are going to entrust your customers’ data. Choose a good software house with experience and wide business knowledge.