200 billion reasons why companies must face up to the challenge of cyber security

200 billion. That’s how many connected devices there will be worldwide by 2021. It’s an incredible number – and one that’s going to have massive implications for the way we live and work.

Today, everyone is mobile. We can work from anywhere and share our work and our passions seamlessly from device to device. The office cubicle is a relic; work has never been so fluid. It’s a wonderful thing – but it creates a big challenge.

Security.

Every 39 seconds

That’s how frequently hackers launch a new attack.

By the time you’ve read this article, hackers will have launched five attacks globally – some aimed at enterprises, some at small and medium-sized businesses.

Big or small, hackers know the pay-offs can be enormous if the organisation isn’t secure.

And the damage to the bottom line can be dramatic. The average cost of a data breach is as high as $3.62m – not to mention the reputational damage that can follow a major attack.

The solution? Be prepared. The increasing complexity of attacks means now is the time for a re-think on cyber-security.

50 percent

By the end of next year 50% of us will be mobile or working remotely. This has serious implications for cybersecurity, because the more mobile devices used by employees, the more blind spots there are.

It’s now considered the norm for huge amounts of company information to live outside of onsite security perimeters – with much of it kept on mobile devices – and hackers are poised to exploit any weak link with increasingly sophisticated cyber-attacks.

3 pain points

Malware and phishing attacks spread by email are increasingly common, with IT companies wasting an average of $1.37m a year responding to malware alerts.

Password and account security is incredibly important. Identity has become the new perimeter, and the vast majority of successful attacks start here.

End point attacks can cause massive damage to an organisation because of the access they give hackers, so companies need to be ready to react quickly and decisively to this type of breach.

Microsoft 365: the solution

We need to rethink cybersecurity for the new world of mobile working. Microsoft’s built-in security solutions take the stress out of staying secure and make it easier for businesses to react quickly when needed.

Microsoft 365 uses advanced analytics to link huge amounts of threat intelligence and security data from Microsoft and partners to combat cyberthreats. You can see the full range and power of insights harnessed with the Intelligent Security Graph, a connected system of continual learning that only Microsoft can provide.

Advanced security features include:

• Identity and access management that protects users’ identities and controls access to valuable resources based on user risk level.
• Information protection allows you to protect documents and emails with encryption that travels with users as they move inside and outside of your organisation.
• Threat protection helps you strengthen your pre-breach posture and allows you to recover quickly with automated remediation when attacked.
• Security management provides end-to-end visibility and centralised management capabilities.
• Business-specific security features designed for companies of all sizes – with enterprise-ready products like Microsoft 365 E5, as well as Microsoft 365 Business, specifically designed for SMBs.