When investigating an incident to contain and remediate a threat, security teams need to understand complex attack patterns, such as malware gestation, score, and sprawl — the answers to which all lie in the data and systems.

While the world of cybersecurity has always been fairly unpredictable, what’s certain is that data breaches are on the rise. But what’s driving this trend, how long will it continue, and what can organizations do about it?

Cybersecurity has become an increasingly important concern in the business world. After all, reports have found that 41 percent of businesses fell victim to a cyberattack in 2023. As the technology cyber attackers use to conduct their nefarious activities becomes more complex, so is the technology that IT professionals use to protect organizations and their data. However, with this also comes a unique new challenge: tool sprawl.

Senior executives are prime targets for cybercriminals, with 72 percent of surveyed cybersecurity professionals in the US reporting that this group has been targeted by attacks in the past 18 months.

People can make mistakes, well-intentioned or otherwise, in any walk of life or industry. It happens all the time.

In today’s digital landscape, an organisation’s C-suite and senior executives hold the most valuable corporate data and sign-off authorities, representing the highest potential risk over email. Whether it’s inbound spear phishing attacks or outbound mistakes resulting in a damaging data breach, the C-suite are vulnerable.

A new study from managed detection and response specialist Critical Start shows concerns about unknown risks have increased 17 percent compared to last year, with 86 percent naming them as a top issue.

The interconnected nature of modern business means that a vulnerability in one part of the supply chain can have far-reaching consequences. New research from SecurityScorecard and The Cyentia Institute identified 99 percent of Global 2000 companies are directly connected to vendors that have had recent breaches.