Businesses suffered nearly 43 million known security incidents in 2014, an increase of 48 percent compared with 2013 and equals some 117,000 attacks daily, says a new report released today by AT&T.
“Every company either has been breached or will be breached,” says Ralph de la Vega, president and CEO of AT&T. “Keeping a business protected should be a company-wide priority. Every employee, contractor, and administrator is responsible for keeping security top of mind.”
De la Vega says even with an increase in cyber attacks, many executives don’t have the information and resources they need to make effective business decisions on cyber security.
De la Vega believes that sharing security insights and expertise will help others stay protected. In the first Cybersecurity Insights Report, AT&T has outlined the primary security threats businesses face both inside and outside of their companies. They are:
- Corporate espionage: Spies looking to steal intellectual property
- Nation States: Groups looking to access information for their own benefit or cause
- Organized cybercrime: Digital criminals that act using malware and hacking to extract information for financial gain
- Hacktivists: Groups of hackers that use cyberattacks to promote social change or impact public policy
- Malicious insiders: Employees or those with internal access that use company information for their own gain
“Every executive should consider who has access to various types of information, and why their business might be a target,” de la Vega says. “They need to know how security teams should communicate information to their board.”
To help businesses and consumers stay connected and up to date on the latest security news, AT&T is launching a new version of its online Security Resource Center. De la Vega says the portal helps keep businesses, individuals, and security professionals informed and prepared daily. It hosts the latest current security trends from AT&T experts, information on emerging issues and trends, and guides to help businesses and consumers prevent, detect, and respond to threats.
