Re-Thinking B2B Cybersecurity in 2021

The constantly evolving state of cybercrime means that B2B companies need to keep altering their strategies to address modern threats. Here are the special considerations that you will need to make for your organization in 2021: 

An Education in Modern Tactics 

Phishing attacks are nothing new, but they have evolved to target a new demographic: individuals who are on alert about the pandemic. These COVID-19 related attacks might have started in 2020, but they have taken a new approach in 2021. 

The emails will be based on information about vaccines, vaccine rewards, vaccine lotteries, stimulus checks, relief funds for COVID-19 victims, and more. As a result, it is important to warn both your clients and your employees about such emails. At the same time, inform people to steer clear of non-governmental or non-news websites that cover such topics. These are often fronts for phishing scams and will trigger future emails. 

Implementing User-Friendly Authentication Options 

Many B2B companies will implement various cybersecurity authentication tactics only to discover that they are causing disruptions in the workflow. This is because a number of authentication processes require a lot of effort or are time-consuming. 

This is why it is important to use authentication options such as single sign-on for both employees and clients. This allows individuals to access your network from multiple devices with just a single set of credentials. This way, people have to remember just one password. In turn, they are more likely to create stronger passwords which results in the process being made more secure. 

Move to a Private Cloud 

There is nothing new about compromised cloud security, but has become a topic of renewed interest. The pandemic has forced an increasing number of B2B companies to go online and even engage in e-commerce activities, and as a result, there are more businesses than ever before using the cloud. 

The best way to overcome the risk of data theft associated with this setup is to switch to a private cloud. In fact, if you are planning on expanding your business at all, this should be one of the first decisions that you make. With a private cloud, you eliminate multiple access points, putting the security of data information in the hands of a trusted few. 

Analyzing the Risk of Internal Compromise

As Cybersecurity-Insiders reported, internal security threats are a much bigger issue than most people appreciate. Now with remote workers, it can be even more difficult to track who accesses company information and how they use it. 

The easiest way to prevent internal corporate espionage is to implement segregation of duties (SOD) into your system. This ensures that access is limited to an employee’s sphere of responsibilities. It also ensures that employees can’t combine permissions to access authorized information. 

Higher level employees aren’t exempt from these restrictions either. To access sensitive information, several upper level employees have to combine credentials to be able to see particular data.  

Locating Deployment Mistakes in New Applications 

In 2021, B2B companies aren’t just setting up new websites. They are also creating new applications and online services for their clients. This creates an increased number of access points for bad actors. You should always stress test applications before making them public. Look for and patch up weak points so that they don’t become problems later on. It is easiest to manage this while the apps are being developed to eliminate errors at every level. 

This is how you need to re-think your company’s approach to cybersecurity in 2021. Consider each of these factors and determine how you will tackle this issue within your organization. By doing so, you can save yourself a great deal of money and embarrassment in the long run.