Now continues to be a good time to protect your organization from cyberattacks, according to new research. Blocking access to external cyberattacks and training staff to mitigate risks remain critical.

Attacks Usually Come from External Sources

Ransomware attacks rose by nearly 13% over last year, marking an increase as big as the last five years combined, according to the 15th annual Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report (DBIR). Cybercriminals are most likely to access systems through credentials, phishing, exploiting vulnerabilities, and botnets, said the report authors. “All four are pervasive in all areas of the DBIR, and no organization is safe without a plan to handle each of them.”

While insiders can do more damage to an organization, threats are approximately four times more likely to come from outside, said the report. The report noted that 80% of breaches are caused by those external to the organization.

Healthcare Among Top Industries Targeted

Healthcare is one of the top industries to experience breaches, according to a recent report on password use by password manager NordPass.

Training Staff Helps Mitigate Risks

Staff training should be a top priority. “The human element continues to drive breaches,” the Verizon report authors wrote. “Whether it is the use of stolen credentials, phishing, or simply an error, people continue to play a large part in incidents and breaches alike.”

The NordPass report echoed that human error is the leading cause of data breaches and other cybersecurity-related risks. NordPass listed the top causes of breaches as weak passwords, re-used passwords, risky password-sharing habits, phishing, human error, and poor cybersecurity infrastructure.

In addition to introducing cybersecurity training, NordPass recommended that organizations deploy a password manager and enable multi-factor authentication.

LeadingAge CAST Cybersecurity Resources

For invaluable information on how to protect your organization, use the LeadingAge CAST Cybersecurity Resources. You will learn how to recognize threats, mitigate risk, and respond to an attack. The resource includes a white paper, case studies, and a benchmarking questionnaire.

If you are using voice technology, please check out “Opportunities, and Risks, with New Smart Voice Technology in Senior Living.” For information on how a life plan community managed HIPAA compliance and cybersecurity mitigation, see the CAST case study, “Managing HIPAA Compliance and Cyber Security Through Partnership” or review the summary. LeadingAge Bronze Partner with CAST Focus BlueOrange Compliance provided security for this project.

This month’s Tech Time also includes information on how to help residents protect themselves from health information breaches.