Suhaib Zaheer SVP, Managed Hosting atDigitalOcean GM,Cloudways
Every 39 seconds there is a cyberattack with thousands of new pieces of malware created daily. While AI can be used for good at detecting attacks, bad actors are also leveraging AI to create more sophisticated ways to attack businesses, faster than a manual hacker.
Across all UK businesses, there were approximately 2.39 million instances of cybercrime and approximately 49,000 instances of fraud as a result of cybercrime in the last 12 months. Businesses must constantly be on guard to detect malicious software – an often time-consuming task, particularly for time-pressed SMBs.
In addition, businesses face the challenge of backing up data, especially in the event of a website crash or cyberattack. With most networks, daily backups are required, but don’t always happen. Enterprises must implement technology that can automatically and securely backup data, while embracing wider security enhancement procedures.
Doing nothing is no longer an option. Here are some practical steps that businesses can take to protect their organisation, and reputation.
Implementing robust security protocols
Enterprises can safeguard against security threats by implementing well-defined security protocols that leverage cybersecurity technology. Detecting and disrupting an attack at the earliest opportunity limits the business impact and the potential for reputational damage.
Successful cybersecurity platforms will use solutions such as malware protection and patch management to identify and mitigate cyber threats. Additionally, successful businesses will use hosting partners who are on hand to support should a cyber-attack occur as it’s vital for businesses to leverage as many resources as possible to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape.
Leveraging AI
AI is now sophisticated enough to be able to take on repetitive manual tasks that slow teams down, such as analysing data for anomalies. Anomalies can be swiftly detected within seconds and promptly communicated to cybersecurity teams for assessment and resolution. Unlike traditional software, AI software tends to get smarter as new types of malware and threats emerge. As a result, AI can quickly detect threats and ransomware attacks before they cause even more serious problems. This not only reduces tasks prone to human error but also minimises entry points for cyberattacks.
The role of leadership
Security leaders bear the responsibility of instilling a culture of security and privacy throughout all data-centric initiatives, fostering collective ownership. Leaders must also demystify cybersecurity and highlight how even a few behavioural changes can safeguard an entire business, while defining the consequences of inadequate cybersecurity measures.
This can be achieved by user training education, so staff understand their role in keeping their organisation secure and report any unusual activity. For example, employees must be made aware of the risks of discussing sensitive work-related topics in general conversation, telephone calls and email receipts and the potential for them to be targeted by phishing attacks. Alongside this, security incident management puts plans in place to deal with an attack as an effective response will reduce the impact on a business.
Looking ahead, we can expect to see more enterprises leveraging AI to strengthen their security strategies in response to sophisticated cybersecurity breaches. As AI continues to advance, more businesses will invest in cloud-first solutions for things like website hosting. These solutions use the most secure technology such as Content Distribution Network (CDN) tools that reduce hosting bandwidth and make distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attacks less likely. This not only eliminates the need for manual updates, but also allows for teams to focus on other areas of the business to ensure that their platforms are secure and always up to date.
