Cyber security: Assessing the evolving threat landscape

In an age of increasingly sophisticated cyber attacks, security awareness among businesses is growing. Indeed, the sheer scale of the WannaCry ransomware that hit the NHS and other organisations last year has left companies of all sizes on high alert.

But staying ahead of security threats is not easy. As well as avoiding increasingly common ransom-based cyber assaults, companies need to safeguard themselves from new types of attacks. So, how can businesses manage in today’s complex threat landscape?

It is true that today’s wireless cyber threats span multiple vectors, but many have been around for a while. Take, for example, the Internet of Things (IoT). Many businesses are already using IoT or machine-to-machine (M2M) devices in their day-to-day work. But IoT security is often ignored in the rush to get devices to market quickly.

So much so that as the number of devices grows, the UK government has this year introduced new measures for IoT manufacturers. Developed in collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre, the government’s Secure by Design review lays out plans to embed security in the design process, rather than it being bolted on as an afterthought.