Companies of all sizes have welcomed the cloud and open source has come up with the standard for infrastructure software. Both possess their own type of benefit and risk. An attack or failure on datacenter could be troublesome for many companies, and we can certainly expect an increment in the number of cyber-attacks based on open source vulnerabilities.

The vulnerabilities are much higher to the small businesses. The small businesses operating online are at greater risk of attack. Last year, hacking was in the spotlight more than ever, with everyone from C-level executives to the simple consumer under threat. Even the would-be leaders weren’t safe.

Without the resources of big enterprises, small businesses are particularly at risk of cyber-attacks, almost one in five small business owners say their company has lost data in the past year.

With each data hack costing anything from $82,200 to $256,000, it’d be wise to brush up on the latest trends in cybersecurity and how to prepare your defenses to keep your data safe.

Let’s take a look at the latest trends 

1. Hackers tools available easily

The software tools that hackers and cyber criminals use are readily available and easily within reach of anyone who wants them and has the money to pay. It’s probable that the person buying dangerous hacking tools and using them possess little or no knowledge of how they actually work.

This trend will continue to spark the rapid growth of cyber criminals in the wild. Whether someone is politically prompted, annoyed about something, or a career criminal, off-the-shelf hacking tools make it easier for them to get realize their presence and will cost companies millions in 2017. 

2. Third-party vendors can be a gateway to their connected customers

Businesses can build an excellent security system and put all of the right policies in place, but until they subject all of their third-party partners to the same level of scrutiny, customers will be at risk.

Just look at Wendy’s, where over 1,000 franchised locations were compromised by a Point-of-Sale (PoS) malware attack last summer. The attacks will increase until companies rise to the challenge of third-party risk management.

Policies need to be strict with proper oversight to ensure that sub-standard security measures and systems don’t lead to major exposures. 

3. Ransomware

The demon of ransomware, which also appeared on last year’s list, continues to rear its ugly head. In fact, with Trend Micro predicting 25% growth in 2017, ransomware looks likely to spread into IoT devices, PoS systems, and ATMs.

If your files have been attacked by a ransomware , then as FBI suggests, you have to pay the ransom. It will be a lot cheaper to take preventative precautions. If you don’t want to end up held to ransom and out of pocket, then you need to act to mitigate the risk. 

4. Shortage of skilled IT security workers

This has been a long-standing problem. When 775 IT decision-makers involved in cyber-security were interviewed for a report entitled Hacking the Skills Shortage, 82% of them reported a shortage of cyber security skills, and 71% admitted that the shortage of skills does direct and measurable destruction.

With more than a million vacant positions worldwide, there have never been more jobs available in cyber security. We must try to find out why college graduates are neglecting these openings and find a way to grab them.

In the meantime, hiring talent on a temporary basis is often the only route available for understaffed companies. That’s why the CISO-as-a-service or virtual CISO model is taking off and we expect it to grow more popular in the year ahead.

Also read: Why India Needs More Cybersecurity Professionals And How You Can Be One!!!