Data collection, curation, and management are ever-evolving fields. But, while data technology is advancing at an accelerated pace, threats and vulnerabilities are quickly catching up. This means that every day, there are new challenges to data security.
During the pandemic, the rate of worldwide cybercrime shot up by 600 percent. And, cybersecurity experts predict that threats to data security are likely to grow stronger and more insidious.
In 2023, companies can no longer treat cybersecurity as an afterthought. The only way to protect sensitive information is to be proactive, so that threats and attacks can be quickly identified and nipped in the bud. Here is where big data analytics has emerged as an invaluable resource.
Yearly breakdown of significant cyber attacks. (Source: Wikipedia. Generated through Gigasheet.)
How Can Big Data Analytics Help Improve Cybersecurity?
Big data helps you identify (and prevent) attacks and security breaches. From governments, to financial institutions, to SaaS companies, countless organizations are using big data analytics to protect sensitive information from malware, attackers, hackers, and cybercrime.
Here are five ways to use big data to fortify cybersecurity.
1. Identifying and Preventing Malware Attacks Quickly
Malware and ransomware are the most insidious threats to data. Not only do they compromise large chunks of data, but they also cause great damage to your systems. Today, there are a whopping 1 billion malware programs out there. Every minute, four companies fall victim to ransomware attacks. (Source: Dataprot.net)
Unfortunately, detecting malware threats is not enough to prevent them from seeping through your internal networks and data systems. But, with big data, you can identify them at the right time. By analyzing large data logs, you can uncover patterns, anomalies, and changes that indicate upcoming threats. Then, you can immediately trigger all necessary actions to prevent malware from harming your system.
2. Monitoring Data Logs Helps Prevent Cyber Threats
Constantly monitoring big data logs helps secure your data. Not only can you stop cyber threats dead in their tracks, but you can also predict if they will occur in the future.
Data logs are a fast and easy way to bolster your cybersecurity measures, and stay on top of your networks and systems. Plus, it is easy to achieve with no-code tools.
3. Assessing Risks
Regularly examining your systems and networks can significantly improve your data security. Risk assessment helps identify system vulnerabilities, exposed databases, and potential threats. Armed with these insights, you can eliminate them before they cause a security issue.
For example, you might have sensitive customer information stored across your data repository. Such information is the prime target of hackers and attackers. It is estimated that customers’ personally identifiable information (PII) can be sold for up to $200 per record!
So, if you regularly assess your data storage systems and access control systems, you can prevent data theft and save your customers from becoming victims of cybercrime.
4. Integrating Big Data With Cybersecurity Technologies
Modern cybersecurity tools are specifically designed to handle, analyze, and maintain security-related data. You can choose from paid tools, or even use free tools to explore big data.
As a business owner, you can use big data and cybersecurity tools to achieve unprecedented peace of mind. Not only do these tools identify and prevent cyber threats, but they also offer additional features like report generation and predictive analytics.
5. Preventing Employee Breaches
Your employees can be victims of social engineering and phishing attacks. And this can directly impact your business. Tech giants like Google and Facebook lost around $100 million in 2017 as a result of phishing attacks.
Additionally, employees can misuse their credentials accidentally or on purpose. If they work remotely, they may have malware on their personal devices, or use unsafe public networks.
While you can roll out company-wide announcements, enforce bring-your-own-device policies, and educate your employees about cyber threats, it is vital to monitor employee activity with regard to business information.
By collecting and analyzing employee activity data, you can be privy to unusual activity. For example, if an employee is repeatedly visiting websites that are marked as untrustworthy, or running unauthorized third-party code on company devices, you can probe further and identify the risks of a data breach.
Power Up Cybersecurity With Big Data
Every business, whether large or small, needs a cybersecurity strategy.
Unfortunately, small businesses are the victims of nearly 50 percent of all cyber attacks. Due to a lack of cybersecurity expertise and infrastructure, they are easy targets for cybercriminals. But with no-code tools like Gigasheet, anyone can analyze big data files and protect their information from being compromised.
Have you started using data analysis to improve cybersecurity for your business? It is best to put safety measures in place now so that you can remain safe from data theft, financial loss, and potential litigation as cybersecurity laws tighten in the years to come.
