Every 11 seconds a company becomes victim of a ransomware attack (Cybersecurity Ventures, 2020). It may even seem like a remote statistic, but the digital world has inherent dangers that constitute a growing threat to any user. Therefore, in a joint effort to raise awareness about these risks for Europeans and institutions, the European Commission, the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) and hundreds of organizations and institutions in the Member States elected October as the European Cybersecurity Month (ECSM). This is an annual initiative that already has nine editions that bring together numerous campaigns and activities that include conferences, workshops, trainings, webinars, and questionnaires across Europe.

These initiatives aim to draw attention to the growing digital threats, providing European citizens the knowledge and tools to act quickly and effectively. Year after year, the European Cybersecurity Month seeks to raise awareness of individual users and businesses so that they become informed and resilient technology users, rather than helpless victims. The European Cybersecurity Month 2021 campaign recasts last year’s motto: “Think before you click!” with the hashtag #ThinkB4UClick.

Cybersecurity and the Covid-19 challenges

One can say that the last two years were not easy-going under the most diverse prisms. At a global level, the pandemic situation caused by Covid-19 triggered a series of unprecedented transformations that revolutionized the daily lives of citizens and companies. The long periods at home caused by successive confinements redesigned the social scenario we were used to, radically changing the consumption habits that found a strong ally in technological gadgets. The digital universe was progressively assuming a greater position while, silently and simultaneously, cyber threats increased.

You never know how cyber attacks may strike. However, keep in mind that the three most reported crimes over the past year were phishing techniques, extortion, and scams in which the user receives a forged notification of non-payment or delivery failure. The Covid-19 pandemic was the perfect opportunity to reach users who were in a deep vulnerable position. One of the most popular schemes during the pandemic was the contact via email, social networks or even a phone call, of someone impersonating an authority entity to gather personal information or to steal money.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), from 2019 to 2020, there has been a 69% increase in the number of complaints from cyber attacks victims. The Cyberthreat Defense is a yearly report that looks at cybersecurity in the IT industry. According to the 2020 study, cyber attacks and data loss victims hit a record number that year. Although 2021 isn’t over yet, it is already known that it will dethrone its predecessor, testimony to the alarming growing trend of cyber attacks.

Cybercrime: A Threat to Citizens and Businesses

This is a challenge both for individual users and for organizations. The costs of restoring and retrieving information from cyber attacks can often reach substantial costs. Consequently, companies, particularly those working on a daily basis with sensitive data should consider approving philosophies, techniques and professional teams specialized in cybersecurity as a priority. According to Forbes, the average cost of a company’s malware attack is 2.6 million dollars. However, it is estimated that the healthcare sector is the ultimate victim of data breach attacks, averaging around seven million dollars. These growing numbers reveal the urgency of calibrating internal practices and gathering investments in cybersecurity in the years to come.

If you’re curious about the cybersecurity topic, we would like to invite you to watch the Prime Webinar we recently shared about cybersecurity with three specialists. Our trio of experts show what they know best and share real examples and practical tips to protect you from cyber threats.

Technology is in our DNA and we are well aware of the significance of cybersecurity. Not only in this European Cybersecurity Month, but day in and day out. At PrimeIT, we work under high quality standards that allow us to successfully achieve the challenges we have set ourselves and guarantee we offer the best solution in the market.