How to stay ahead of network security threats

It’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and this year’s theme is “Do Your Part, #BeCyberSmart.” To get some insight on how companies can do their part, emerging security trends and more, I chatted with Michael Johnson. Johnson is our Senior Director, Managed Services, leading operations for several Spectrum Enterprise solutions including Managed Security Services.

What’s one of the greatest cybersecurity risks, and how can companies mitigate it?

I believe people are the single greatest cybersecurity risk. Industry studies have shown that about half of all data breaches are caused by employees, either intentionally or inadvertently. That human element is often the hardest risk to address since people will naturally make mistakes. Companies can significantly mitigate security threats by periodically training team members to identify and report cyberattack attempts via phishing, social engineering, web browsing and other “attack vectors,” which are ways hackers can get access to the network.
 

What’s one emerging security trend companies should know about?

Cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and complex, particularly DDoS attacks, which have increased by over 150 percent this year. For every defense that is put in place, hackers will eventually adapt and come up with a different way to compromise networks. This is why it’s so important for firewalls, DDoS protection services and other security measures to be constantly updated with new attack signatures, which are traffic patterns used to identify attacks. Many companies struggle with the constant evolution of attacks and required updates, but using a managed network security service where all updates are taken care of by the technology partner can help tremendously.
 

What gets you excited about working with security solutions?

I think it’s the challenge of staying one step ahead of the bad guys. There was a story in the news recently about a single teenage hacker disrupting an entire week of distance learning for one of the largest school districts in the U.S. — Miami Dade County. Then, Hartford, Connecticut schools suffered from a ransomware attack. Fighting cyberattacks is a constant battle, and the security services Spectrum Enterprise provides, which are supported by highly experienced engineers, are a strong line of defense for our clients’ networks. I like being a part of the solution to the problem.