5 Industries that can’t Ignore Advanced Web Security

The rapid growth of the dark web requires all organizations to be on their toes. They must ensure that their networks are secure, and their network infrastructure is robust to thwart any unauthorized access. A robust web security apparatus ensures that your alliances and customers gain trust in your business and are eager to walk together on the exponential path of growth. The processes that must be deployed depends on the size of the organization, a number of locations, and the incumbent network systems.

The internal IT teams must consider various factors before they can decide on the web security infrastructure that must be deployed. They need to consider the threat perception of the organization. Multiple industries store a massive amount of sensitive information of their customers that they become an automatic choice for hackers to break into their systems. We will discuss some of these industries that store vast amounts of customer data.

Healthcare

The healthcare industry stores high volumes of data related to the medical histories of patients. Despite proper precautions having being taken, there have been 28 significant cyberattacks in the healthcare industry. In a significant data breach, the personal records of 78.8 million of members and employees of Anthem were exposed. The reason for stealing medical data is unclear, but there must be sinister motives, but as they are not perishable, it could be of value to cybercriminals. The vulnerabilities could be anywhere due to the diversity of the technologies involved. And apart from data breaches, it could also lead to fatalities.

The increased number of cyberattacks has led to the individual healthcare units revving up their cybersecurity apparatus. There have been more stringent access protocols in place, and all access data is logged and monitored in real-time. Data is being encrypted, and handheld devices are also being secured proactively. The IT teams are also taking steps to minimize network risks for connected devices.

e-commerce

The e-commerce industry has been seeing exponential growth over the years. The unprecedented growth has also seen it bear the brunt of attacks from hackers. There has been a significant data breach at Claire’s – a jewelry and accessories retailers with e-commerce operations. Hackers had used Magecart tactics to have access to the payment data of customers. In another incident, the consumer electronics e-platform Bhinneka.com has seen the data of almost 1.2 million being distributed on the dark web.

The e-commerce sites have been taking some precautionary steps like deploying SSL Certificate Security from the best solutions providers. They are also trying to generate the right traffic on their site using bot detection technology. As a policy, they are also not storing sensitive user data and utilizing website best practices to prevent any future attacks. The e-commerce sites need to deploy stringent security policies to adhere to the PCI-DSS guidelines. They are also using Dynamic application security testing (DAST) tools that automate security tests for the website.

Manufacturing

The manufacturing industry has been stretched due to frequent data breaches. The networks store crucial information about the designs, manufacturing processes, unique benefits, and various other information critical for its business. The industry thus forms a major target from cybercriminals. According to a survey by Sikich, in 2019, 50% of the respondents said their business was affected by a data breach. The report also concluded that most companies had severe laxities in cyber preparedness.

While cybersecurity must be an organization-wide priority, the businesses must also recognize the information that is crucial for them, viz. proprietary information, and trade secrets. This information must be classified, and policies must be detailed to ensure its protection. The organization must provide restricted access to sensitive data to only the required personnel, and layers of data security must be implemented to protect the data. A robust backup plan for the critical data must be devised too.

Public sector undertakings

The government bodies are the storehouse of enormous data volumes. As subscribers increasingly use online payment modes, it becomes increasingly important for government agencies to spruce up their network defenses. There are various regulations towards data storage that must be adhered to. For example, the Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX) requires the agencies to store data for a pre-determined period. The agencies have been encrypting huge volumes of data using advanced software. There must be periodic training of the officers to introduce them to data security measures. A concerted effort must also be there to take the third-party agencies on board for such training programs. Periodic security audits are also the order of the day.

Banking and Financial services

Travelex – a currency exchange website had to go offline due to a suspected cyberattack. Robinhood, a major stock trading app, was hit by an outage on a day when stocks just zoomed through the roof. The risks faced by the global BFSI companies can be gauged from the fact that the market for BFSI security systems is expected to reach US$ 175.1 billion by 2030. The industry stores a considerable amount of personal information of its clients apart from their financial details. This makes the industry one of the favorite for cybercriminals.

Any data breach to the industry can have severe repercussions, and the need is to deploy proactive threat detection mechanisms. It will help to prevent any attempts of unauthorized access and sanitize any vulnerabilities due to interfaces with third-party software and risks from mobile apps. The industry needs to undertake periodic security audits, install security solutions, install biometrics, and other relevant policies to prevent any data breach.

How can organizations prevent a data breach?

Businesses must implement SSL certificate security from the best SSL certificate providers. It will help them to encrypt sensitive information. They must also update the incumbent periodically to prevent any vulnerabilities in them. You must deploy a robust network system together with a firewall, anti-virus, and intrusion prevention system to prevent any unauthorized access. The businesses must also use the global password best practices when selecting the passwords for the networks and also provide proper training for their employees.

Conclusion

The industries that traditionally store a massive database of customer data and sensitive business information are known to be the ideal targets for a cyberattack. These businesses must install an SSL certificate from the best SSL certificate providers to encrypt their crucial data. They must also lay down cybersecurity best practices, as discussed in this article.