More than three-quarters of organizations believe they’ll be successfully attacked over the next year as the cyber risk level continues to rise, according to new research from cybersecurity firm Trend Micro that suggests organizations allocate more resources to people, processes and technology to be more prepared for cyberattacks and reduce their overall risk levels.
The company’s semi-yearly Cyber Risk Index (CRI) found an index of -0.04, which indicates an elevated risk. A quarter of respondents say they are “very likely” to be successfully attacked over the next 12 months, with more than a third (34%) of North American organizations fearing an attack.
In the U.S., the CRI was -.18, against -.01 for North America, suggesting that the U.S. has a much higher level of risk than many other countries.
The report found that 76% of global organizations think they’ll be successful attacked in the next 12 months, but that figure may be low, as 84% claim to have suffered one or more successful cyberattacks within the last year.
Even more alarming, 35% say they have experienced at least seven successful attacks in that same time.
Globally, organizations are most concerned with cyber risks such ransomware, phishing and social engineering, denial of service, botnets and man-in-the-middle attacks.
Other top risk factors cited include human capital risks such as a lack of authority in cybersecurity executive positions, and infrastructure challenges including weak inventory practices and stagnated security tools, Trend Micro found.
When it comes to IT infrastructure, organizations say they are most worried about mobile or remote employees, cloud computing and third-party applications. U.S. organizations put the cloud computing risk score at a very high 9.87/10.
“To craft effective cybersecurity strategy, organizations must master the art of risk management. This is where reports like the CRI can be a great resource in highlighting areas of possible concern,” said Jon Clay, Trend Micro vice president of threat intelligence, in a statement. “As remote working and digital infrastructure threats persist, organizations should adopt a platform-based approach to optimize security whilst minimizing their security sprawl.”
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