There will continue to be an uptick of cyberattacks over the next 25 years on U.S. businesses, and healthcare information privacy risks will remain a major concern in this, according to Ricoh Danielson, a cybersecurity and digital forensic expert.
“In the past year, cyber threats have significantly increased, and it will be getting worse in the next five years. Everyone should be proactive to protect themselves. Take it seriously now before it happens to you,” says Danielson.
The Log4J software bug, for example, illustrates that. This bug allows threat actors to access computer data remotely. This online vulnerability is hidden in standard Microsoft code. Scammers could possibly use it to transfer entire identities, including passwords, financial information, nationality, and other biometric information.
For companies to stay protected they’ll have to be proactive, defensive, and have a robust cybersecurity mindset, says Danielson. This will empower an individual or organization to implement various technology solutions such as vulnerability management, incident response, patch management, and data loss prevention. Internal reviews of all this should be done on a regular basis. However, it’s not enough.
“You also have to be diligent and hyper-vigilant at continuously practicing cyber security hygiene and not putting it off since there’s too much at stake,” says Danielson. “This includes changing your passwords and implementing a multi-factor authentication.”
Not enough companies know the ins and outs of what a cybersecurity attack entails and how to address it, according to Danielson.
“The older generation understands the need for cybersecurity from a high level, but many of them don’t understand the full picture and the technology itself. The younger generation understands the technology but may not want to comprehend the need for cybersecurity,” says Danielson.
Cybersecurity protection is evolving and Danielson believes DNA-based identity authentication will one day follow. Danielson—a U.S. Army veteran— now works as a cybersecurity and digital forensic expert, helping a broad range of companies to be better informed of potential cybersecurity risks.
