What are some Dangerous Cybersecurity Myths?


In today's environment, cybersecurity is one of the most critical parts of a company. Businesses have begun to invest in cyber defense and training. Despite the focus on making organizations more cyber safe, there are a few cybersecurity myths and fallacies to avoid.

What is Cybersecurity?

The process of preventing cyber-attacks on internet-connected devices, including hardware, software, and data, is known as cybersecurity. Individuals and corporations use the method to prevent unauthorized access to data centers and other digital systems.

A robust cybersecurity strategy can give a sound security posture against hostile attacks to gain access to, altering, deleting, destroying, or extorting critical data from an organization's or user's systems. Cybersecurity is also essential in preventing attacks that try to disable or impair the operation of a system or device.

What is the Importance of Cybersecurity?

The importance of cybersecurity is growing as the number of people, devices, and programs in modern businesses grow, as does the flood of data; most of it is sensitive or secret. The growing number and skill of cyber attackers and attack techniques exacerbate the problem.

What are the advantages of acquiring a certification in cybersecurity?

By 2027, the worldwide cyber security sector is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of 10%, implying more jobs — and severe competition for those high-paying professions as more people try to get into the field.

Certifications in the cyber security business demonstrate your cyber security skills and can be highly beneficial to your cyber security career path. Bear in mind that specific qualifications are more important than others at the start of your profession. There are frequently many certifications available for a single career path. There is a certification that matches your journey depending on your interests. So, let's see what qualifications you'll need to get started on your cyber security career path.

Cybersecurity Myths

Here are a few cybersecurity myths you should be aware of right now −

Cybercriminals do not target small and medium-sized enterprises

Most Little and Medium-sized Businesses (SMBs) believe they are immune to cyberattacks and data breaches because "we're too small" or "nobody wants our data." This is entirely false, and it is currently one of the most critical cybersecurity misconceptions to dispel. While small businesses may not be specifically targeted, they are frequently the victims of spray-and-pray attacks.

Attackers aren't hunting for specific firms to target; instead, they assault anything and everything they can get their hands on, and those they can't get into pay the consequences. Small firms frequently lack modern security software and trained security personnel, making them a more vulnerable target for fraudsters.

I don't have anything to safeguard

You may believe that your information is worthless. You might think that no one cares about your data because you're broke. You can also assume that protecting your identity or information is pointless because you have nothing to hide.

Consider the following scenario − All of those "free" social networking apps you download – Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Snapchat – aren't free. When you sign the Terms and Conditions, you give up your right to privacy, allowing the applications to construct a detailed demographic profile. The corporations then sell this information to marketers, which means your information is worth millions of dollars to them. Why wouldn't hackers want to take advantage of this?

Scams using phishing are easy to recognize

Hackers infiltrate organizations, CEOs' accounts, and government institutions, making phishing attacks more complex. During the COVID-19 outbreak, phishing schemes have increased dramatically.

Extortion scams that look very authentic are circulating. Your email address and a password that seems familiar are included in the topic. The con artist claims that they would reveal a video of you taken with your webcam while visiting a porn site until you paid up.

Please don't fall for it. A data leak provided the scammer with your email address and password. If you're still using a mix of the two, you should at the very least change your password.

It isn't always as straightforward as an unfamiliar account sending you weird messages in the hopes of persuading you to click on a link. They will sometimes employ well-known faces against you, which leads to the next misconception.

The IT department is responsible for security

Without a doubt, IT bears a significant portion of the responsibility for an organization's cybersecurity. But it isn't the only one who is in charge of security. Because a security breach can have far-reaching and long-term consequences for the entire company, leadership must drive the culture change required to address this in an accurate and meaningful way. At the same time, actual cybersecurity readiness is the responsibility of every employee.

I use passwords that are difficult to guess. Even a long, sophisticated password isn't enough to keep you safe in today's security scenario.

People nowadays utilize quick tools to run billions of password combinations — and it only takes a second to run these possible passwords. Not only that, but hackers have developed advanced methods for deciphering the passwords we create. As a result, you should utilize both password managers and two-factor authentication.

Cybersecurity is too expensive

Even though malicious cyberattacks continue to make headlines and cost organizations millions of dollars, businesses question whether cybersecurity investments are worthwhile. Data security is commonly disregarded, and many companies treat it as an afterthought.

In 2021, the average cost of a data breach will be $4.24 million, the most in 17 years. The cost of a breach's significant reputational and financial losses is not included in this calculation. However, the price of a solid cybersecurity solution pales in comparison to the expense of a successful attack.

Ensuring that we comply with industry regulations is sufficient to keep us safe

For doing business, creating trust, and avoiding legal consequences, compliance with industry data regulations is critical. On the other hand, regulators frequently contribute only the bare minimum of security practices. Being cooperative does not imply that you are safe.

Organizations must examine if the regulations are significant enough and whether the breadth of the rules encompasses all critical systems and data. PCI compliance, for example, focuses on securing credit card data while ignoring the organization's other vital information.

A third-party security service will secure everything

Even though a cybersecurity firm or Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) is in charge of developing and monitoring security policies to keep the company safe, you must understand the cyber dangers your company faces and how they are addressed.

Regardless of the security provider's expertise and certifications, you have a legal and ethical obligation to protect essential assets. Please make sure the security supplier keeps you up to date on their security roles, duties, and capabilities, as well as any security breaches that occur.

External actors are the only source of cyber threats

Outsider risks are undeniably a company's most serious problem, and they should be closely monitored. Insider threats, on the other hand, are just as harmful. Insider risks pose a greater security risk than outsider threats due to employee incompetence, ignorance, and evil action.

Updated on: 30-May-2022

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