The world of cybersecurity threats is constantly changing. Criminals looking to cause problems for everyone from businesses to individual consumers are always looking for new ways to harass, bother, and steal. 

Because of this, the world of cybersecurity needs to remain ever vigilant and on top of these trends and cybersecurity predictions 2023.

As a small business owner, you need to do what you can to protect your company’s network and the sensitive data you store. Any kind of data breaches may cause you to suffer a loss of clients, lawsuits, and potentially the closing of your business. 

By partnering with an IT service provider you’ll stay ahead of those looking to cause problems for companies such as yours. But what cybersecurity trends are expected to develop over the next 12 months?

Here are just a few cybersecurity predictions 2023 that will likely come to the forefront.

TOP CYBERSECURITY TRENDS FOR 2023

RANSOMWARE MOVING TO THE CLOUD

Now this one sounds like a complete nightmare, which is exactly why you need to protect yourself from such cyber threats. 

In case you are unaware of what ransomware is, the idea is a kind of malware is installed on your computer bit by bit. It usually goes slowly so your firewall is unable to detect it. Although sometimes entire ransomware can move in when opening an infected link, typically via email.

Once on your computer system, it completely blocks you off by interfering with access management, meaning you will lose the ability to use the computer and any sensitive data. 

Messages will begin to appear, telling you it’s possible to obtain a code to remove the corrupt data by paying for it. So, essentially, it holds your computer at ransom. 

Now, the code does work and it will likely remove the malware from your system. Although most ransomware will leave traces of future ransomware files on your system, meaning the entire process is repeated putting your critical infrastructure at risk.

Now, picture this on the cloud. 

Basically it spreads to all files and hardware using your cloud network. This means not just one computer in your small business becomes infected but all systems. It may also block you from accessing important files you need to run your business.

Removing this kind of virus from cloud services will be a major pain. Which is why you need to avoid it altogether. Partnering with an IT security service provider is often the first step you need to take to protect your business.

INCREASED GDPR AND OTHER REGULATORY IMPACTS FOR CYBER SECURITY

Now, let us first point out that GDPR is a good thing. It is short for General Data Protection Regulation. Specific industries, such as the medical industry, have similar regulations in place. 

Basically, a medical service provider needs to have very specific, high-end network security in order to prevent data breaches and unauthorized remote access. If a breach does happen the company can be shut down until it is corrected.

California recently passed its own GDPR. There is no national protection regulation in place yet. However, other states will follow (this is why this makes the list for cybersecurity predictions 2023). 

The European Union has such a regulation in place. What do these regulations do? It significantly fines businesses in the event of data leaks. Basically it forces companies to get serious with its network and cybersecurity trends. 

While a data breach can cause stock values to drop and other secondary issues, the breach ultimately causes problems for the consumers who can suffer the most.

The thing is that these regulations for different geographical areas and industries are constantly changing, making it difficult to stay on top of the compliance requirements. 

But your small business needs to up its network security unless you want to face massive fines from governments (not to mention possible lawsuits from those affected). The best way is to safeguard your network to protect your secured information and avoid these fines.

INCREASED REMOTE WORK DANGERS

More and more businesses rely on remote working. This kind of work can be especially beneficial as it allows employees to get work done while at home instead of in the office. All of this is great, but it also leaves you exposed to different cyber security threats. 

You can have the strongest network defenses in place, but it is all wasted if an employee emails you a file from personal devices with a virus leached onto it. 

Now, it’s not that your employees mean to do that. But if their computer is infected with malware there is the chance they pass it onto you. Think of it like the flu.

The best way to defend against this in remote working situations is to establish strong perimeter network cyber security. Additionally, your employees need to have their own network perimeter security enabled when working remotely. 

To protect you and your employees who work remotely you’ll want to consult with an IT service provider to see what the best ways of establishing the necessary security parameters are, like VPN and firewalls. 

Charlotte IT Solutions can provide you with these exact services to ensure you stay ahead of possible negative cybersecurity predictions 2023 this year is likely to bring.

CYBERCRIME AS A SERVICE

Cybercrime is international, and not all nations regard certain attacks as a big deal. From the multiple forms of identity theft to stealing trade secrets, and intercepting financial transactions, a lot of tasks are becoming automated.

Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) became one of the first brazen attacks to appear with a commercial face. Though somewhat tongue-in-cheek, groups such as Lizard Squad offered pay-for-harassment DDoS services.

Although members of such groups eventually went to jail, the important detail is that they succeeded and are still part of today’s cybersecurity trends. Such services had been available and not well-hidden, and it took advanced law enforcement techniques to bring groups to justice.

There are legitimate sides to almost every cybercrime. If the crime exists, there needs to be a way to test defenses against it. Multiple services exist to strengthen or harden systems against attacks from such cybersecurity trends. 

Fortunately, more services are opening to legally attack customers for testing purposes. And when you use such services to your advantage, it’s possible to stay ahead of cybersecurity trends.

THE IOT REMAINS VULNERABLE TO DATA BREACHES

The Internet of Things or IoT is the industry of non-standard devices connected to the internet.

Rather than dealing with desktops, laptops, servers, and mobile devices, many other consumer electronics have internet connectivity. Smart home devices such as thermostats, home security, and home entertainment systems are a few of the original IoT.

A few pre-smart home devices such as webcams and headsets have changed as well. More people use webcams or formerly webcam-only companies as security cameras. Wireless headsets can be programmed with additional settings through remote control.

The newer generation of IoT is reaching anything that has an electronic board. Washing machines, dryers, sous vide machines, light bulbs, and door knobs are just a few devices to consider that also have some form of artificial intelligence and machine learning built-in.

In an age when hacking is not only profitable, but full of far more curious young engineers, is this something your business wants to risk?

There’s nothing wrong with enjoying fun new devices, and experimentation is necessary. The future of being able to control virtually everything in personal and business life is a goal. It needs to become an option, but you don’t need to be careless about it and expose yourself to cybersecurity trends.

When dealing with IoT devices, ask a few of these questions first:

• Who is the device talking to?
• How often does the device call home?
• Is there an administrative password?
• Can the login details be changed?
• How can you detect an intrusion?
• Can you track the intrusions to alert manufacturers and businesses?
• When, not if, this device is breached, what damages will your business suffer?

Small businesses need to stay in touch with the pulse of new technology. Whether they give your business a functional edge or are a new product, education helps.

Just be careful when integrating the devices as a cornerstone of your business. The IT cybersecurity trends you need to keep an eye on are just as important as new tech toy trends.

SOCIAL MEDIA SECURITY REMAINS A BIG BATTLE

Facebook, Google, and Apple. They were in the news constantly in the past few years for their privacy and data breach woes, and it’s not getting better. 

Microsoft wasn’t listed because of security prowess, but because they’ve been a tech punching bag for years already. Companies that delve into social media have given themselves a customer responsibility. 

The companies are at a crossroads; personal information is their product, but how can they continue to earn under increasing privacy and infrastructure security?

Take Facebook for example. The platform started as a way to find people on college campuses, then as an improvement to internet forums. It’s such an improvement that it became the first forum of sorts for most current internet users. 

More distressingly, many people have an issue understanding that Facebook is a website on the internet, not some service or feature that just exists on their phone.

Think about that last point. People are so familiar with and invested in Facebook that they think they’re not on the internet. Just Facebook. This level of awareness shows why personal cybersecurity failures can still harm businesses, even as 2023 brings great changes. 

It’s not just an issue of older or inexperienced internet users; businesses can expect to see employees who are extremely familiar with how to use mobile devices and other technologies as tools, but with little awareness about security leaks or tech risks.

In a way, it’s no different than someone knowing how to use a hammer or knife, but not knowing how to keep the rust away. The march of tech progress isn’t perfect, but cybersecurity training can help. 

The world is already a decade into Facebook and other social media profiles being necessary for marketing. Small businesses need a social presence and a way to socially connect. Even if you’re not taking advantage of all social tools, simply responding to social media messages helps.

Even if you’re not leaking customer data, a social media platform’s failure can affect you. If Facebook falls apart, do you know where your customers are going? Do you know where your competitors are dominating the market?

If you answered Twitter, you’re probably right. 

What happens when Twitter falls the same way? While internet communities have changed a lot since home internet entered the world stage–from BBS and forums to chat rooms and modern social media–most of the same advice holds true in the 1990’s as it does now.

EXPOSED VULNERABILITIES IN AUTOMATED SECURITY SYSTEMS

Many start-up tech companies have been building automated security systems based on artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning to deal with new IT security trends. The idea is that a cybersecurity IT system that runs 24/7 and doesn’t get tired will learn from incoming threats and respond in the best possible way. 

However, AI and machine learning are only as good as the effort and skills of the designers. And cybercriminals are using the same kind of machine learning technologies to avoid such detection systems. 

Relying solely on an automated system will become increasingly risky in the years ahead, as the whack-a-mole game of staying ahead of security risks will continue to require careful analysis by highly skilled security analysts and engineers. 

TAKE THE NECESSARY PRECAUTIONS AND PROTECT YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

Large business data breaches reach the news all too often. Most Americans at one point in time have shopped at the Home Depot or Target. So when these massive brands experience hackers infiltrating their network it affects tens of millions of Americans. A data breach with a small, local business, doesn’t move the national needle, so these are not reported on. However, small businesses are often the main targets of hackers. This is because these companies do not always implement the strongest security measures.

Due to this, when a hacker finds a business with strong defenses they will have a higher rate of moving on, as it isn’t financially rewarding for them to spend time trying to break in. You want your business to be like this. With a strong, impenetrable network security system in place, you’ll avoid these kinds of data hacks and breaches that happen all around the world. Charlotte IT Solutions understands these cybersecurity predictions 2023 is bringing and will make sure your small business is expertly protected. To take advantage of these security measures all you need to do is give the Charlotte IT Solutions staff a call.