With the advent of the digital revolution, corporations, organizations, and even government entities are increasingly relying on computerized systems to run their day-to-day operations, and as a result, cybersecurity has become a necessity to protect data against numerous online attacks and unauthorized access. As technology continues to advance, cybersecurity trends are changing at a similar pace. News about data breaches, ransomware, hacks, and other threats has become the norm as technology continues to develop. 

As we look ahead to 2023, cybersecurity continues to be one of the top concerns for chief information officers. It has been estimated that there were 2.8 billion worldwide malware attacks and 236.1 million worldwide ransomware attacks in the first half of 2022. According to the data, six billion phishing attacks are expected to have been launched around the world by the end of 2022. 

In the year 2023, it is expected that IT will have to contend with these eight top security threats as these are the most significant cybersecurity trends. 

1. Malware 

A malware program is a malicious piece of software that is planted on a network or system. This is done to cause damage to the computer, server, workstation, or network it is installed on. Malware can extract confidential information, deny service and gain access to systems. 

It is the responsibility of IT departments to monitor and stop malware before it enters a network or system by using security software and firewalls. The bad actors behind malware continue to use new methods of evading detection as they develop new ways of doing so. As a result, it is essential to keep current security software and firewalls up-to-date to prevent security threats. 

There are several different types of malware, but ransomware is the most popular. It is capable of preventing access to a system or threatening to leak proprietary information as a result of its actions. To unlock systems or retrieve information that has been encrypted as part of ransomware, hackers demand that their victims pay them a cash ransom. 

Currently, the number of ransomware attacks being carried out against companies in 2022 is higher by 33 percent than it was in 2021. The majority of companies pay ransoms to regain access to their systems. However, they are attacked once again by the same cyber criminals who were behind the ransomware attack earlier. 

Often, ransomware can gain entry into an organization's network through connections with vendors and suppliers whose network security is lacking. 

A secure supply chain starts with the security measures that are used by suppliers and vendors. This is so that business owners and suppliers can be assured that the supply chain from start to finish is secure from beginning to end.

The majority of us have encountered suspicious emails at some point or another. This is often the case, or perhaps even more alarmingly, emails that appear to be legitimate and from a trusted source but are not. Phishing is the practice of sending emails in an attempt to trick you into opening them. 

Phishing is one of the biggest threats companies face today. This is because, as a result of the ease of opening bogus emails, it is easy for unsuspecting employees to spread viruses. In the workplace, training employees on how to recognize phony emails, report them to the company, and never open them can make a difference. To ensure that the best email habits are being taught, IT should work closely with HR to achieve this. 

It is estimated that 61% of businesses in 2020 will use the Internet of Things, and this number is only growing. Security risks also grow as IoT grows, which is a consequence of the expansion of IoT. There is a well-established reputation among IoT vendors for the lack of security that is implemented on their devices. It should ensure that IoT vendors are checked for safety as part of the RFP process to combat this threat. In addition to this, IT is also able to reset the IoT security for devices so that they comply with corporate standards when it comes to security 

What is the right amount of security? You need to know that if your network has been firewalled, security monitoring and interception software are installed, servers have been secured, multi-factor identification sign-on has been issued to employees, and data encryption has been implemented. Still, you could have forgotten to lock physical facilities that contain servers or to install the latest security updates on your smartphone. 

Several layers of security must be managed and monitored by IT to ensure the safety of the network. Creating a checklist for every stage of the workflow that may be a potential security breach point can be a good way for IT to enhance security.