September 23, 2023
Every few years or so, I periodically review the Verizon Data Breach Report to gain insights into cybersecurity trends and challenges. Cybersecurity professionals need to analyze and understand which areas of organizations and businesses are under attack. This knowledge helps us prioritize and strengthen our security efforts as we navigate the ever-evolving cyber landscape. Verizon's 2023 Data Breach Report meticulously analyzed 16,312 security incidents, confirming 5,199 as actual data breaches. In this post, I will share key findings from the report, focusing on ransomware, social engineering, and the targeted assets in these breaches.
Ransomware Attacks
The thought of a malicious actor seizing and encrypting all your organization's data, without a backup, is a chilling prospect. Even worse, when these attackers demand financial compensation in exchange for the decryption key, it becomes a true nightmare. According to Verizon's 2023 Data Breach Report, ransomware attacks haven't increased significantly but continue to pose a consistent threat to organizations. This underscores the need for unwavering vigilance, thorough planning, and preparedness to counteract ransomware as an ongoing threat to our assets.
The Human Element in Cybersecurity
One of the most vulnerable aspects of any organization's cybersecurity defenses is the human element. Social engineering exploits these vulnerabilities, and the 2023 Data Breach Report reveals a concerning trend: the number of social engineering attacks nearly doubled from 2021 to 2023. What's more, Verizon reports that a staggering "74% of all breaches include the human element." While we may never eliminate all weaknesses inherent in human behavior, organizations must continue seeking solutions to mitigate the numerous threats facing their members.
Targeted Assets
What types of assets are cybercriminals after in the latest series of breaches? As you might expect, servers top the list of compromised assets, accounting for approximately 85% of targeted systems. People, on the other hand, are targeted about 20% of the time. This is unsurprising given that servers often host vast amounts of data, while individuals are attractive targets for social engineering attacks.
I've only scratched the surface of the insightful information presented in the Verizon 2023 Data Breach Report. I strongly encourage anyone seeking a more in-depth understanding of the 2023 cyber landscape to read the report in its entirety. In this dynamic and ever-changing field, information is paramount.
Authored by: Ibrihim Rushin, Cybersecurity Professional
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