Business Is Struggling To Combat Hacking

Businesses are struggling to keep up with the threat posed by cyber criminals, according to a new report.

Published January 19th, the 2016 Cisco Annual Security Report (ASR) has shed light on the issues businesses are currently facing when it comes to cyber security.

This report highlights that, while threats to security and risks such as phishing attacks have remained relatively constant since the first ASR was published in 2007, what is really notable is how quickly cyber criminals innovate to take full advantage of any security gaps in new technology.

Also concerning is that they are also making use of older malware to attack out-of-date systems, which are more vulnerable than up-to-date software. 

In a blog announcing the report's release, senior vice-president, chief security and trust officer at Cisco John Stewart said: "Aging infrastructure opens up green-field attack surfaces while uneven or inconsistent security practices remain a challenge."

He also highlighted that attackers are growing "more bold, flexible, and resilient", while companies are struggling to keep up with global digitisation, notably in terms of detection speeds and staff education.
 
Furthermore, a lack of global coordinate defence against cyber attacks was cited as another weak spot in preventing cyber crime. 

"On the global front, we see fluctuations in cyber internet governance across regions, which inhibits collaboration and the ability to respond to attacks," he explained.

Recently, Wi-Fi hotspots have fallen under scrutiny too. The risks they pose were recently highlighted by the Evening Standard, which reported that such hotspots are increasingly at risk of being hit by criminals - something that businesses and individuals alike can fall prey to.

Mr Stewart suggests that, to tackle risks such as those outlined in the ASR, companies need to act now. In addition to greater global coordination, he suggests senior leaders need to do more to embrace cyber security. Furthermore, vendors who embed IT must also commit themselves to producing secure solutions that customers can trust.

Kroll:http://http://bit.ly/1npke6z