In 2020 while the coronavirus pandemic took top headlines another, more insidious pandemic was brewing alongside it — a startling increase in cyberattacks. In this past year, cybercriminals targeting the healthcare industry alone have affected over 17 million people.

In response, government officials and other concerned parties have turned to ex-hackers and even launched their attacks to ascertain vulnerabilities and develop protective strategies.

Here is a quick roundup of trends that are likely to mold cybersecurity strategies as we move through 2021.

Top Cybersecurity Predictions of 2021: A Quick Primer

The major trends that will affect the cybersecurity industry in 2021 — and the businesses that rely on cybersecurity to stay protected — range from an increased focus on protective measures and privacy controls to growing budgets for IT services.

Let's dive in:

1. More Spending on Cybersecurity is Inevitable

Enterprise executives are taking a firmer stance on protecting data as they secure their cyber-environments. Over half of these executives will strengthen their cybersecurity budgets, with 51% including a full-time staff focused on cybersecurity in their budget lineups.

For those companies with a small or nonexistent in-house IT department, the best option is to partner with a trusted third-party managed services provider (MSP) to deliver a more diverse talent and technology pool while remaining budget-conscious.

2. Three Security Hotspots for Small- and Medium-Sized Businesses (SMBs)

Large enterprises may be focusing on several factors. The top three targets for small- and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) of fewer than 5,000 employees will be network security, endpoint security, and identity and access management.

These larger sectors can be broken down into other priorities. For example, many SMBs will shift funds to outsourced services to cover e-commerce security and remote staff security.

The move to remote work will also accelerate the adoption of next-gen identity and access controls to protect business-critical systems from unauthorized access. Remote access will continue to feature strongly in budget line items as SMBs target third-party providers to assist remote staff with productivity and access issues with strategies such as virtual desktops, secure communication platforms, and more.

3. Vulnerability Remediation Continues to Be Problematic

New technologies to advance productivity, processing speed, and corporate agility are continually evolving, and the flaws, mistakes, and errors can open up vulnerabilities that expose data.

With an eye toward a continuing trend in remote work, SMBs will need to choose between vulnerability management vendors and using security features inherent in their endpoint security products.

4. The Decline of the Password

Password usage will continue to decline as new, more secure tools see increased use. Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and identity authentication will provide more robust security coverage for a wider variety of devices.

This is a good thing: Many employees are still using incredibly easy-to-hack passwords such as "abcd," "1234," or "qwerty."

Today's substitutes provide stronger, less-hackable protection. While MFAs have been in use for some time, new technologies such as biometrics and zero login abilities take precedence.

Biometric authentication leverages fingerprints, voices, faces, or irises to provide a biological marker for access. Zero login processes look to user behaviors like location and typing patterns to confirm identity.

Let Blue Technologies Protect Your Cyberspace in 2021

With breaches and hacking attacks on the increase, there is no denying the need for a robust cybersecurity program to protect your business as we move into 2021.

Cybersecurity has many layers, from protecting endpoints to securing infrastructure to ensure access is controlled and monitored. These multifaceted tasks can easily overwhelm a small IT department since they require constant attention.

And to complicated matters, technology and hackers are constantly evolving — and so should your security plan.

Our team of cybersecurity professionals at Blue Technologies has a deep knowledge and leading-edge technology to identify your vulnerabilities and create a targeted cybersecurity plan to keep your data — and your business — safe and protected.

With ongoing services built into our plans, you will be able to focus your in-house IT team on mission-critical tasks while we monitor, maintain, and keep your system updated in the background.

Keep your business and your data safe and secure in the coming year. Contact a Blue Technologies consultant today and learn how our Managed IT and cybersecurity team can build a robust cybersecurity plan that targets your business' specific needs.