Data Security Trends

It’s 2019, and businesses small and large are on the lookout of potential data security threats. With the rapid development of new technology comes the risks and potential problems it brings, including data breaches and ransomware. With all the buzz about consumer data security and privacy, we predict that 2019 will bring new trends in cybersecurity for all parties involved. Here are five trends we foresee in data security and privacy in 2019:

1. Developers are recognizing the risks brought about by the Internet of Things (IoT).

Smart phones, smart refrigerators, smart homes, and wearable technology — so many things we own and use on a daily basis are part of the IoT. With all the data it collects, both developers and manufacturers are working together to effectively address the data security and privacy concerns around the IoT. One development is “privacy-by-design,” in which the privacy elements are built into the product. These security features include two-factor or multi-factor authentication and biometrics, such as fingerprinting or face scanning, as well as hardware-enabled security that pair with software-enabled security features.

2. Cybercriminals will use new tactics.

The McAfee Labs 2019 Threats Prediction Report (2019) anticipates that the hacker forums, chat rooms, and cybercriminal marketplaces where one can purchase exploit kits and other nefarious offerings, such as cryptocurrency mining, mobile malware, and stolen credit cards and credentials, will consolidate. In turn, we’ll see a rise in malware as a service, and these new malware families will work closely together. Malcolm Harkins, chief security and trust officer at Cylance, explained that as crimeware becomes a service, it could lead to more destructive attacks. It will also allow cyberattacks to expand beyond hackers and cybercriminals and into terrorist-related groups. He states, “From attacks on data integrity that essentially kill computers to the point of mandatory hardware replacements to leveraging new technology for physical assaults, such as the recent drone attack in Venezuela, attack surfaces are growing, and enemies will take advantage.”

3. Social media will grow as an attack vector.

In the past few years, every consumer quickly became aware of what “fake news” was and just how prevalent it has become within our social media worlds. Despite large organizations pledging to do better in protecting consumer data and privacy, fake news is going to become more prevalent in 2019. McAfee predicts the focus will be on brands and corporations, instead of elections. The increased number of botnet accounts will look more legitimate and thus prove more difficult to report and remove from our social media platforms. According to the report, bots are becoming more advanced with the ability to create coherent conversations and manipulate social media audiences. Botnet operators will continue to harass organizations with the intent to do serious, if not permanent, damage to their reputation and financials.

4. Small organizations will finally take an enterprise approach to cybersecurity.

Data security and privacy were big issues last year, and they will continue to be a top concern in the new year. That’s something that enterprises will have to watch for as they move ahead in their own plans to operationalize data analytics, machine learning, and other artificial intelligence. Will 2019 be the year small businesses take a leap forward in their cybersecurity efforts? Brian NeSmith, CEO and co-founder of Arctic Wolf Networks, thinks so.

5. Privacy Concerns: GDPR and the US

Last year at this time, many organizations were scrambling to meet the standards of the GDPR (the European Union’s General Data Protection Regulation), which now regulates business behaviors regarding consumer data and privacy, even for U.S.-based businesses. GDPR went into effect in May 2018, but some organizations have yet to meet its standards. The hype around the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) didn’t end in May when the new regulation went into effect. While the GDPR isn’t the only new piece of regulation that has arisen out of this conversation, the world has not seen quite the same level of concern and protection for consumer data. The U.S., Mexico, and Canada are currently in talks to create NAFTA 2.0. If it is passed, it will “restrict data localization, enabling data to flow freely across borders,” which is a huge privacy concern involving hundreds of millions of people across the three countries. However, Canada and California are taking bigger steps towards emphasizing consumer data and privacy than provided by NAFTA 2.0. Canada is in the process of creating new data protection laws with GDPR in mind. California passed the California Consumer Privacy Act of 2018 (AB375). With these international, national, and state-wide regulations, businesses will be forced to abide by new security control standards for the benefit of consumers everywhere. Furthermore, with the understanding that more companies, especially smaller companies, will be more diligent in creating these security measures, cybercriminals will be unable to carry out their traditional attacks on large enterprise networks.

The Data Security Take-Away

Companies need to place more emphasis on developing data backup strategy and put data protection the forefront of the conversation. Our experts recommend the 3-2-1 backup protocol because it protects against the broadest possible range of data loss scenarios, from ransomware to power outages to fires. Corodata can provide your business with two types of data storage options and world-class data storage facilities to ensure that no matter what happens, a copy of your data is kept safe and secure. Corodata offers custom offsite media storage services for your data on magnetic tape, cartridges, optical media, and other types of physical backups. Our Firelock vaults are temperature and humidity controlled to meet long-term storage requirements.

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