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A Year into the Pandemic – Cybersecurity Still Front and Center as Organization’s Wrestle with How to Address the Onslaught of Attacks [Cybersecurity Brief]

Now a year into the pandemic, our eyes have been open to many lessons. And the significance of cybersecurity is one that we are still battling on all fronts. Recent reports, decisions in government and vulnerabilities in systems producing products we would never usually associate with cybersecurity reveal now more than ever its spanning impact.

Growing Global Cybersecurity Concerns

VentureBeat rounded up some of the top conclusions companies and cybersecurity experts have come to throughout the past years’ experience. According to the “PwC’s 2021 Global Digital Trust Insights: Cybersecurity Comes of Age” study, one of the leading concerns among the organizations and people included is protecting cloud infrastructure. But concerns at large have led 96% of the 3,249 business and technology executives studied to focus on cybersecurity investments, especially considering effects from the pandemic. 55% relayed that they had, in turn, increased cybersecurity budgets. This prioritization comes as cyber risks are increasingly categorized as one of the most potentially damaging occurrences and issues like the vulnerabilities in supply chains, virtual workforces, growing use of QR codes and infrastructure monitoring are realized. 

As we have covered previously, the government has also gone through a series of motions to prioritize cybersecurity concerns especially after events such as the SolarWinds attack and the Microsoft advisory that was issued last week. In fact, CNN reported that a large portion of funding included in the recently passed Covid-19 relief bill has been set aside to aid federal efforts to better cybersecurity practices and systems. Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Eric Goldstein of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) stated that, “[I]t reflects a recognition by this administration of the urgency of improving cybersecurity.” According to Goldstein, $650 million in the $1.9 trillion relief bill will go to “cybersecurity risk management programs.” While the CISA mostly responds once an intrusion has been detected and reported, the funding of programs aims to shift the approach that the CISA can take and allow them to respond earlier in the process.

Private and Public Entities Both at Risk

But it is not just the government sector that is learning to deal with the impacts of cybersecurity issues. Molson Coors, one of the largest beer producers, just reported that it had to shut down production due to a “systems outage” that was caused by a cybersecurity problem. Due to the cybersecurity concern, brewery operations, production and shipments were all impacted. Although the full effect of this incident is unknown, it reflects the crucial role that enhancing cybersecurity practices means – even in the ability to brew beer.

Key Takeaways:

“Top 10 cybersecurity lessons learned one year into the pandemic” – Louis Columbus, Venture Beat

https://venturebeat.com/2021/03/11/top-10-cybersecurity-lessons-learned-one-year-into-the-pandemic/

  • The “PwC’s 2021 Global Digital Trust Insights: Cybersecurity Comes of Age” study, states that one of the leading concerns among the organizations and people included is protecting cloud infrastructure.
  • 96 percent of the 3,249 business and technology executives studied said that they have focused on cybersecurity investments, especially considering effects from the pandemic.
  • Cyber risks seem ever more present, and the study showed that vulnerabilities in supply chains, virtual workforces, growing use of QR codes and infrastructure monitoring are realized are of top concerns.

“Millions in Covid relief funding to be used for federal cybersecurity efforts” – Geneva Sands, CNN

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/10/politics/millions-covid-relief-funding-cybersecurity/index.html

  • CNN reported that a large portion of funding included in the recently passed Covid-19 relief bill has been set aside to aid federal efforts to better cybersecurity practices and systems. 
  • Cyber chief Eric Goldstein of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency stated that, “[I]t reflects a recognition by this administration of the urgency of improving cybersecurity.”
  • According to Goldstein, $650 million in the $1.9 trillion relief bill will go to “cybersecurity risk management programs.”

“One of the country’s biggest beer makers had to stop making beer due to a cybersecurity breach” – Ben Gilbert, Business Insider

https://www.businessinsider.com/molson-coors-stop-making-beer-cybersecurity-breach-2021-3

  • Molson Coors, one of the largest beer producers, just reported that it had to shut down production due to a “systems outage” that was caused by a cybersecurity problem. 
  • Because of the cybersecurity issue, brewery operations, production and shipments were all impacted.
  • The full effect of the reported incident is still unknown.

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