Email attacks are seen as the top threat in 2019 as attackers have become more diverse and sophisticated in their methods, according to a cybersecurity provider.
As reported, the top threat that businesses should watch out for next year, particularly in the Philippines, are attacks done through e-mails.
Through this, cybercriminals can steal company and personal information.
The Country Manager of Palo Alto Networks explained that attacks coming from emails, when opened, are actually phishing sites.
The phishing site will then harness valid credentials, which will then be used by the attacker in order to steal money or private information.
Because of this, companies should always be critical of emails they receive and be able to assess their current cybersecurity state.
The firm also noted that as operations become more connected with each other, threat risks are also becoming more and more unavoidable.
Using the manufacturing sector as an example, it was explained that operations in this industry are moving into the application of IT in the process of exchange or in the movement of goods.
Each element in the chain is a risk and the more complex the chain becomes; the higher is the risk of attacks.
The provider observes that 2019 will see many countries taking their first steps towards protecting their people’s data, with firms already moving to formalise their data protection frameworks.
In the Philippines, the Data Privacy Act of 2012 is already being implemented to protect all kinds of information.
Plus, it covers both natural and juridical persons involved in the processing of personal information.
Cloud services usage is also seen to flourish, thereby giving rise to new threats. It was noted that local businesses have increasingly been using the technology in their operations.
In some ways, this can be viewed as lagging in terms of how businesses have taken up cloud services in the country, and in some ways seen as a bad thing.
However, there is a positive side to it since the businesses can learn from the mistakes that other businesses, which used the technology before them, have made.
Critical infrastructure, which now includes the banking and financial services as well as telecommunications and the media, is becoming more digital and automated.
This makes them easy targets for cybercriminals. Especially so for the energy, water, and public transport sectors that usually rely on legacy and un-patchable systems.
Security technology is starting to move away from being seen as merely point solutions but as something a little bit more holistic.
It is something that really impacts the life of everyone on a daily basis from a consumer side and in terms of how business is ran and managed.
It is an actual vital part of business these days with so much being done through smartphones. The ability of people to touch IT is much greater now than it was before.
Thus, businesses need to be conscious about how they manage their security into the future.
The country’s move towards digital transformation should always be accompanied by the transformation of security.
The benefits of digital transformation will be at risk if they are not protected.
