Cyber attacks in 2023: What can we learn?

As we reflect on 2023, it's evident that cyber threats evolved at an alarming rate. This blog looks into the biggest cyber attacks that made headlines, shedding light on crucial lessons and offering strategies to enhance your organization's cybersecurity resilience.

1. Supply Chain Breaches: In 2023, supply chain attacks reached unprecedented levels, disrupting businesses globally. Incidents like the SolarWinds breach and the 2021 Kaseya ransomware attack led the charge as come of the largest attacks of the year as well as previous years, with over 30,000 businesses impacted due to a single breach. 

2. Ransomware Rampage: Ransomware attacks surged in scale and sophistication, impacting organizations across industries. Although 2023 did not have any major attacks like the Colonial Pipeline attack and JBS Foods incident, the amount of ransomeware attacks shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. In fact, these attacks will continue to become harder and harder to detect, making it imperative that your team is educated on what to do. 

3. Cloud Insecurity Challenges: As organizations increasingly migrate to the cloud, new security challenges continue to emerge on what seems like a daily basis. Misconfigured cloud storage incidents and data exposures have led to headaches for multiple companies across America, leading to many turning to trusted partners (like Coordinated) to provide insights and guidance on securing cloud environments. 

5. Phishing Prowess: Phishing attacks continued to be a primary threat in 2023 which comes as no surprise. Attackers are employing sophisticated social engineering tactics to individuals and enterprise organizations alike, as well as everything in-between. 

How to avoid these attacks in 2024:

• Adopt a Zero Trust Security Model
• Regularly Update and Patch Software
• Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Conduct Regular Cybersecurity Training for Employees
• Enhance Supply Chain Security Protocols

2023 was a year of unprecedented cyber challenges, but the lessons learned pave the way for a more secure digital future. By understanding these major incidents and implementing proactive cybersecurity measures, organizations can fortify their defenses against evolving threats.