Introduction
Everything You Need to Know About Enterprise Cyberattacks in 2022
Cybersecurity threats against enterprise businesses, particularly sophisticated and high-value ransomware attacks, are growing more prevalent by the day — and a staggering number of them originate from within Russia. As businesses across every sector accelerate their digital transformations, the attack surface for cybercriminals has expanded dramatically. Understanding the landscape of modern cyber threats is no longer optional; it's a fundamental requirement for any enterprise that values its data, its reputation, and its bottom line.
Fueled by more powerful hacking tools, anonymous and untraceable forms of payment like cryptocurrency, and mounting global instability, cyber threats are on the rise worldwide. The Covid-19 pandemic saw one of the biggest spikes in cybercrime in recent history, with a 148% reported increase year over year. Enterprise companies across the nation have spent the last two years either initiating or accelerating their remote workforce transformations, and these new, more vulnerable work environments are being actively exploited by bad actors. As the BBC reported, 74% of all ransomware attacks could be traced to Russian-backed hackers — and now, politically motivated by the war in Ukraine, cybercrime is becoming increasingly adaptive and lucrative.
The scope of consequences that stem from cybersecurity attacks is almost too broad to gauge — loss of reputation, loss of customer trust, and devastating financial losses. It's up to business leaders to prioritize cyber protection initiatives, install the most up-to-date security infrastructure, and ensure employees remain diligent and maintain every critical protocol. Below, Derive Technologies takes you through the most important cybersecurity vulnerabilities of today so you can ensure your business is as safe, prepared, and protected as possible.
By far the most frequently exploited channel for modern cyberattacks, email is a critical vector that every enterprise must prioritize protecting — especially as workforces increasingly transition to remote or hybrid work environments that rely heavily on external access. With over 90% of all malware transmission occurring through email, it's no exaggeration to say that your inbox is the front line of your organization's cyber defense.
Email threats come in all shapes and sizes, but some of the most prevalent examples facing enterprise businesses today include scams, phishing, "whaling" (or high-value phishing targeting executives), malware attachments, and suspicious links hidden within seemingly legitimate messages. These attacks are becoming more sophisticated, often mimicking trusted contacts or internal communications to trick even the most vigilant employees into clicking a malicious link or downloading an infected file.
Implementing a dedicated email security application that can protect against broad-stroke attacks and intelligently filter out incoming threats is crucial. Nowhere is this more imperative than in remote work environments, where emails can be accessed on mobile devices connected to low-security home networks or extremely vulnerable public networks. Businesses must ensure that their email security infrastructure is robust, up-to-date, and capable of adapting to the ever-evolving tactics employed by cybercriminals.
<h2><strong>Antivirus, Anti-Malware, and the Threat Landscape You Must Understand</strong></h2>
It may seem obvious, but you'd be surprised at how many small to medium size businesses lack even baseline cybersecurity protections. Malware — an abbreviation of "malicious software" — is an umbrella term that encompasses a long and growing list of threats. Some variations work quickly to delete files or corrupt data, while others can lie dormant for extended periods and quietly allow hackers a back door into your systems. The best antivirus software will monitor network traffic in real-time, scan activity log files for signs of suspicious behavior or long-term patterns, and offer comprehensive threat remediation capabilities.
Among the most dangerous threats your enterprise faces: Ransomware holds critical files hostage by encrypting them and forcing users to pay for decryption — some high-profile cases have cost companies well into the millions. Spyware allows culprits to access their victim's keystrokes, passwords, or other sensitive data on their computing devices. Rootkits and boot kits lie at the lowest levels of a computer's operating software to stay hidden from traditional scanners, with bootkits so deeply embedded they're functional even before a computer's operating system loads. And Bots allow criminals remote access and control of computers for DDoS attacks — at the largest scale, this can mean thousands of computers being hacked and controlled simultaneously.
Each of these common malware types is characterized by how they spread. Viruses insert their own code into programs, worms exploit software flaws, trojan horses trick users into installing malware by posturing as legitimate software, and fileless malware exploits bugs or uses built-in tools to reside in computing devices without leaving any traces. While email is by far the most common distribution method, some more sophisticated types of malware can still spread without any user interaction at all — making proactive, layered defense strategies absolutely essential for every enterprise.
Managing which users have access to which parts of your network is critical in ensuring that sensitive data remains protected. Your business should be leveraging robust security policies to restrict network access to only pre-approved users and devices. While it's possible to provide limited access to noncompliant devices or guest users, this should be used only when absolutely necessary and with extreme caution. Open permissions leave wider gaps for hackers to exploit, so your user restrictions need to be as tight as possible. Enabling users with frictionless yet highly-secure network access will help ensure they have no need to deviate from protocols and stay within the safe confines of your secured work environment.
Behavioral analytics is another essential proactive measure that can help detect threats before it's too late. In order to recognize abnormal user behavior, you must first define what constitutes "normal" behavior around an everyday user's job responsibilities, applications, and network activity. Dedicated analytical software is designed to identify abnormal behavior for you, but its success is dependent on the customer baselines that you've defined for it. Regular audits of any users with privileged access can also help scan for unusual patterns of activity, adding yet another layer of proactive defense. When done well, this approach is one of the most effective ways to proactively identify threats and isolate them before they inflict any damage.
Web security software rounds out the essential baseline protections any serious enterprise needs. It not only prevents users from accessing vulnerable or at-risk websites that may contain malware, but it also defends against other web-based threats and protects web gateways from intrusion. Together, access control, behavioral analytics, and web security form a comprehensive, proactive shield that keeps your organization one step ahead of cybercriminals — and investing in these layers of keeping critical data safe, your workforce protected, and your business operating at peak performance with a clean bill of cyber health is a decision no enterprise leader should delay.
The Takeaway for IT Buyers
As cyber risk management struggles to keep up with the proliferation and severity of online threats, it's no longer acceptable for any enterprise — regardless of size or industry — to operate without comprehensive cyber protections in place. The events of recent years, from the pandemic-fueled surge in cybercrime to the geopolitically motivated attacks tied to the war in Ukraine, have made one thing abundantly clear: every business is a target, and the consequences of inaction are devastating.
If the cost of cybersecurity is daunting to you and your business, keep this in mind: the cost of defense before an attack will always be less than the cost of repair after an attack. From email security and antivirus protections to access control, behavioral analytics, and web security, the layers of defense outlined above represent the bare minimum your organization needs to avoid being a sitting duck for bad actors everywhere. Invest in keeping critical data safe, your workforce protected, and your business operating at peak performance with a clean bill of cyber health.
At Derive Technologies, we understand that navigating this complex and ever-evolving threat landscape can feel overwhelming. That's exactly why we're here. Reach out to Derive Technologies to learn more about how we can protect you from the threats of today and tomorrow. Our team of cybersecurity experts is ready to assess your vulnerabilities, build a tailored defense strategy, and ensure your enterprise remains resilient — no matter what comes next. Book a free consultation today and take the first step toward true cyber resilience.