"Cybersecurity" is a term that encompasses many different areas, including technology, policy, and human behavior. It's also a constantly changing field with new threats popping up every day. This means cybersecurity issues will impact your strategy and processes and could leave your organization vulnerable to attack or data breaches. 

Lack of employee training 

Employee training is essential to the protection of your organization's data. However, you may not be aware of how important it is or how much you can do to ensure that your employees get the right information at the right time. Here are five points to keep in mind: 

• Employee training should be required by law 
• Training must be practical and useful 
• Employees must take their training seriously 
• Awareness of security should be spread throughout the organization through consistency and repetition 
• Lack of employee training can cripple an organization 

Outdated software 

Remember the Colonial Pipeline cyber attack of 2021? It was the largest attack on public infrastructure to date, and the agency paid 4.4 million in Bitcoin to get access back to their data.  

Software updates are essential, but they often get overlooked. Most people don't think about it until a problem arises and they realize that their software is outdated. 

The problem with outdated software is that most providers have stopped supporting it. This means you no longer get new features or bug fixes for the older software versions. If an attacker finds a vulnerability in an older version of your software, chances are good that the vendor has already fixed it in newer versions and won't patch it for you (in theory). 

Suppose something happens to allow them into your system. In that case, nothing may stop them from taking over any part of your network or accessing data stored on any device connected to your network (such as laptops). 

A complex network of systems 

One of the biggest challenges with cybersecurity is that it's complex. The internet is a massive network of systems, each with different weak points that can be exploited. 

The problem worsens when you add in all the layers of additional complexity: multiple users, mobile devices and apps, and third-party vendors accessing your network through APIs. All of these can create more potential points of access for hackers to exploit if you're not careful about how they're managed by your organization. 

Lack of an incident response plan 

It's vital to have a plan in place for responding to incidents. A comprehensive incident response plan will help your organization respond effectively and efficiently when an incident occurs. The following elements should be included in the plan: 

• Have a team that can execute the program, including people with expertise in IT, security, and law enforcement who are available around the clock. 
• Create procedures for communicating with your customers and other stakeholders, such as employees or vendors. Make sure key personnel are aware of their roles during an incident response. 
• Have a data forensics and analysis process to identify what happened during an attack and prevent further damage (e.g., recovering stolen information). Data forensics also supports compliance obligations like GDPR or HIPAA regulations by identifying whether hackers have compromised personal data.* Have training programs for employees on how they can protect themselves from cyberattacks or ransomware attacks. 

An incorrectly configured cloud setup 

Cloud computing is a great way to save money and resources, but it can also be a security risk if not configured correctly. Your cloud provider should have cybersecurity experience and be able to help you configure your cloud so it's secure.  

It's crucial to keep your endpoints secure, as well. Once one hacker gets into one machine, they can go through to the rest of the organization in "network attacks." Your IT department should be able to help you get the right level of security for your organization. 

Unprotected endpoints 

• Endpoint protection is a must—that much is clear. But when it comes to endpoint protection, there are several considerations that you should take into account before signing on with a service provider. 
• It's complicated: Implementing an effective endpoint protection system can also be quite tricky because each endpoint contains different antivirus software options which makes it hard for companies with multiple employees in other locations around the globe who use various systems such as laptops/desktops/smartphones without knowing what kind of technology might work best on each device type precisely. So, even though this aspect should definitely factor into any decision making process around protecting against cyber threats via anti-malware software solutions offered by vendors such as SSI whose products provide comprehensive solutions including both centralized management tools plus per user licensing models which allow organizations' IT departments maximum flexibility when buying licenses based upon your business needs. 
  

Incomplete vulnerability management. 

Vulnerability management is a process of identifying, prioritizing, and remediating vulnerabilities. It is a continuous process that involves scanning your network for vulnerabilities, prioritizing them based on severity and impact on the organization, then developing mitigation plans for addressing them. 

Cybercriminals look for any opportunity to gain access to your internal network or sensitive data; this includes finding flaws in software applications (such as operating systems) that developers didn't correctly code. If cybercriminals exploit these vulnerabilities, they could quickly enter your system through an unsecured application or device, wreak havoc on your data, or even steal it outright. 

Inadequate patch management. 

Patch management is a critical component of any security strategy. Think about it: if you have a vulnerability in your system and don't know about it, then there's nothing to stop an attacker from exploiting it. With patch management software and processes in place, you can ensure that all vulnerabilities are identified and addressed before they become problems. 

What is patch management? 

The term "patch" refers to the process of fixing or updating software by applying code changes either directly to the software itself or in an out-of-band file (known as a "patch file"). This includes the detection of vulnerable applications and their remediation across systems within your environment. 

Weak or non-existent identity and access management. 

Identity and access management manages access to resources or IAM for short. It's one of the most critical components of cybersecurity because it allows you to control who can access your data and systems. 

If you have a weak or non-existent identity and access management, it's straightforward for unauthorized individuals to gain access to your data. This can have devastating consequences if that individual decides they want to use the information they've stolen against your organization in any way (for example, by selling it on the dark web). 

Identity and access management also makes it much easier for you as an organization to prevent data loss. All employees must log in using their work email address before they're allowed into a system or file share network. In that case, it becomes easy for IT staff members like yourself when something goes wrong—you'll know exactly where the problem originated from and how far along in its journey towards deletion (or worse). 

Not reviewing your security solutions for business needs. 

You must regularly review your security solutions to ensure they address the proper business needs. Many organizations have implemented a wide variety of security solutions. Still, the reality is that most people don't take the time to evaluate whether they are using the right tool for the job. 

• A solution should be easy to use and maintain. 
• It should be easy to implement. 
• It should fit your business's particular needs; not every solution works for everyone. 

Cybersecurity is complicated but it's crucial to stay on top of it. 

Cybersecurity is a complicated topic that can be difficult to stay on top of. It's essential to have a plan in place for a cybersecurity breach, but it's also hard to know what that plan should look like. What can happen if your company lacks the right cybersecurity level? 

If you run a business or are responsible for protecting an organization's data, you will want to take steps toward staying on top of cybersecurity. This includes understanding the latest technology trends and how they affect your organization's risk profile. Cybersecurity threats constantly evolve, so organizations must stay alert and aware of how these new technologies affect their operations. 

Conclusion 

As you can see, cybersecurity gaps are a severe threat to your organization. Hackers are always looking for ways to infiltrate your network and steal data, whether through malicious intent or negligence. However, if you take the proper steps to protect yourself and stay vigilant, you can prevent these gaps from becoming holes in your defenses.