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What is the Dark Web? 

The dark web is a part of the internet that isn’t indexed by search engines, like Google or Bing. You can’t access the dark web by using a regular web browser like Chrome, Firefox, or Safari. Instead, the dark web is accessed via special software, like Tor, where users can maintain anonymity (there are no IP addresses) as they surf the dark web and make exchanges.  

About 52% of businesses are failing to run thorough vulnerability assessments. This issue is made more troublesome because every business faces cyber-attacks these days. As attacks increase in prevalence and sophistication, cyber-attacks have become a matter of when, not if.  

SIEM- it stands for Security Information & Event Management. SIEM has become a vital part of the security strategy of all growing businesses. By 2021, global spending on SIEM is projected to be at $3.4 billion dollars, and for good reason. We all know the next generation of threats to our society will be waged online, but SIEM is here to help. Breaches are now a matter of when, not if. That’s why the best cyber-security incorporates real-time identification of breeches and instant response using SIEM. 

We’ve all receive spam and phishing emails. They’re aggravating, clog your inbox, and it takes time to delete them. As a business, spam email can trigger numerous issues, including malicious ransomware attacks. In fact, 91% of all malware is still deployed via email.   Just one click from an unsuspecting employee can cause catastrophic data loss or thousands of dollars in damages. 

One of the challenges faced by businesses that conduct activities online is how to keep their computer networks secure from threats. Hackers and other malicious actors constantly look for ways to penetrate computer networks and access personal or proprietary data. This data, once accessed, is used for various sorts of illegal activities, typically at the expense of the business or the individuals whose personal information was compromised.

In response to the increased sophistication and devastating consequences of cyber attacks, businesses have gradually transitioned their cybersecurity strategy away from on-premise security solutions and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) to the Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) model. With SECaaS, a third-party cloud provider assumes the responsibility for the development and maintenance of a business' cyber-security strategy. In 2015, the worldwide market for SECaaS was at $3.12 billion. This market size is projected to reach $8.52 billion by 2020, at a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 22.2%.

Over the past several years, there has been a shift by businesses from physical or local network security services to cloud-based services. Initially slow, the shift to cloud-based security services, formally known as Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) has exponentially increased. The reason? Businesses have become more aware of SECaaS benefits, especially when compared to traditional network security strategies. As a result, there has been an increase in market share for SECaaS; formerly at $3.12 billion in 2015, the market share is projected to reach $8.52 billion by 2020.

There has been a steady increase in cyber attacks by malicious actors over the past several years as businesses increasingly conduct their activities online. Impacted businesses can experience severe and long-lasting consequences. In addition to a loss of reputation, these businesses may also experience a significant financial loss as a result of measures implemented to contain and manage the data breach. Businesses impacted by a data breach may also be subject to litigation by individuals whose personal information may have been compromised. In 2018, the average cost of a data breach was $3.86 million, up from $3.62 million in 2017, a 6.4 percent increase.

There has been a significant increase in cyber attacks over the last several years as malicious actors look for, as well as exploit, vulnerabilities in computer systems and network infrastructure. When found, these vulnerabilities are used to compromise the network infrastructure, often with devastating financial consequences to the impacted business. Globally, businesses have lost more than $8 billion in 2018 as a result of ransomware, an increase from $5 billion in 2017 and $325 million in 2015. With ransomware attacks on businesses occurring every 14 seconds, it is projected that the costs of ransomware attacks will exceed $12 billion by 2020.

Cybersecurity is top of mind for IT professionals, especially those working in the healthcare industry. The costs associated with a cyber-attack, like ransomware, malware, and other viruses, has increased since 2017. According to a study performed by Ponemon, in 2018 the cost associated with a data breach for the healthcare industry has been $408 per patient record, up from $308 per patient record the previous year.