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Which Sectors Do Cybercriminals Attacks the Most?

In 2020, interest in remote working  and online services increased exponentially due to the pandemic. Unfortunately, so did cybercrime. According to a report by IBM, there was a 275% increase in cybercrime from 2019 to 2020, with attacks becoming more sophisticated and costly.

So, which sectors do cybercriminals target the most?

1. Healthcare

2. Government

3. Education

4. Retail

5. Legal

Cybercriminals target healthcare organizations for a variety of reasons. These include the high monetary value of medical records, the sensitive nature of the information contained within them, and the fact that many healthcare organizations are still using outdated technology. In 2020, there were a number of high-profile healthcare data breaches, including those at Premera Blue Cross, Excellus BlueCross BlueShield, and Anthem.

Government agencies are also favorite targets for cybercriminals. This is because they often hold large amounts of sensitive data on citizens, as well as critical infrastructure information. In 2020, a number of government agencies were hit by major cyber attacks, including the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Treasury, and the U.K.’s National Health Service.

Cybercriminals also target educational institutions for a variety of reasons. These include the high monetary value of student records, the sensitive nature of the information contained within them, and the fact that many educational institutions are still using outdated technology. In 2020, a number of high-profile education data breaches occurred, including those at the University of Maryland, Indiana University, and UCLA.

Retailers are also favorite targets for cybercriminals. This is because they often hold large amounts of customer data, as well as credit card and other financial information. In 2020, a number of high-profile retail data breaches occurred, including those at Target, Home Depot, and Macy’s.

Finally, legal firms are also popular targets for cybercriminals. This is because they often hold large amounts of sensitive data, as well as critical infrastructure information. In 2020, a number of high-profile legal data breaches occurred, including those at the law firms of Cravath Swaine & Moore, Weil Gotshal & Manges, and Latham & Watkins.

How can we protect ourselves from these attacks?

There are some steps we can take to protect ourselves from cybercrime.

  • Use strong passwords and two-factor authentication: By using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, we can make it more difficult for cybercriminals to gain access to our accounts.
  • Keep our software up to date: By keeping our software up to date, we can close any security vulnerabilities that cybercriminals might exploit.
  • Be cautious about what we click on and download: By being cautious about what we click on and download, we can avoid downloading malware or giving cybercriminals access to our accounts.
  • Back up our data: By backing up our data, we can ensure that we still have access to it even if our computers are hacked or damaged.
  • Use a reputable antivirus program: By using a reputable antivirus program, we can protect our computers from malware and other threats.

Cybercrime is on the rise, and we need to be vigilant in order to protect ourselves. By taking these five steps, we can make it more difficult for cybercriminals to target us.