Using Cyberattack Data to Bolster Security Awareness

Similar to the way a sample of voters can predict the outcome of an election, an analysis of large amounts of cyberattack data can reveal current trends and threats in the cybersecurity space, says an article from Citynet, a communications and technology services company.

Citynet, which also has its own fiber optic network, has a partnership with cybersecurity company Avast. This article draws on a recent analysis from Avast. That company’s recently released first quarter 2024 Threat Report is said to have analyzed cyberattack data from more than 3.5 billion attacks.

A major takeaway is that currently the most common forms of malware attacks, by a huge margin, rely on social engineering techniques. The figures, per the Avast study, are that 90 percent of recent mobile attacks and 87 percent of desktop attacks involved social engineering. 

This makes these attacks highly effective. It also means “social” strategies as well as technological ones are required to defend against them because they operate by tricking users into divulging sensitive information or otherwise performing actions that compromise enterprise security.

What this means for organizations, says the Citynet article, is that companies are obliged to implement a two-pronged defensive strategy. The first prong involves technological solutions. These may include such things as advanced email filtering, web filtering, and anti-phishing technologies.

The second prong involves the training of personnel. “Educate and empower your employees to recognize and respond to social engineering attacks,” the writers advise. “Security awareness training can significantly reduce the risk of user engagement with malicious content and enhance your overall security culture.”