2021 was an unpredictable year and while things are looking up with the launch of the first COVID-19 vaccines, 2021 is likely to have its own changes. To help organizations prepare for whatever it may take in 2021, PCI Pal’s Geoff Forsyth is here with his predictions and considerations for the new year.
- WFH security issues: After a year working in pajamas, many companies around the world will make temporary relocation to remote work permanent in 2021. But for industries such as contact centers that were not built to work from home before COVID- 19, new data security considerations will be taken into account. be necessary to ensure continued safety at home. These include improving data encryption and discovering your surroundings as much as possible from sensitive cardholder data.
- More bad news for travel and hospitality: if not prepared: 2021 was difficult for the travel and hospitality industries as many landed and canceled their travel plans. But this year’s struggles will be nothing compared to those they will face in 2021 if they do not intensify data security efforts. As people come out of hibernation, these sectors will experience heavy traffic as they will catch a huge flood of personal and payment card data. But pressure on resources and increased demand for operational resources can leave them unprepared for opportunistic cybercrimes that want to exploit potential vulnerabilities.
- High risks for retailers: The retail sector will also need to closely monitor data security. According to recent PCI Pal research, 70% of consumers plan to continue shopping online for some or most of their retail needs even after the COVID-19 pandemic ends. Retailers will need to take additional steps to protect online shopping channels and other digital channels in 2021 or risk a data breach. With 70% of consumers reporting that they will stop buying with a brand for several months or even permanently in the event of non-compliance, this could have long-term consequences for revenue and customer loyalty.
- Something smells like Phishy: Fishing and social engineering attacks were unleashed in 2021, and cybercriminals took advantage of fears and the remote work of COVID-19 to steal sensitive data from vulnerable personnel. This trend is likely to continue until 2021 and, unfortunately, data breaches are likely to increase as bad actors start making use of stolen data. Companies need to ensure that their employees continue to practice secure data security behaviors, choosing long passwords or passwords, verifying links and attachments before clicking on them, and being very careful when sharing personal or financial information. sensitive online or by phone.
- A little privacy, please: Privacy regulations, in some countries, are still weaker than they need to be, but somehow, many organizations are still struggling to remove the current bar. In 2021, it’s time to update compliance. While the ways companies collect and use data should be the same, they are likely to need to enact new security measures and tools to ensure that employees and compliance managers can manage and access data securely. , either at home or in the office.
We hope that 2021 will be a much happier, safer and healthier year. But just as we must be vigilant about the precautions of COVID-19, we must also watch out for new cyber threats. Are you ready to adopt a cybersecurity resolution for the new year? Contact PCI Pal today for information on how our secure payment solutions can help us.
The post Data Security Predictions for the New Year first appeared on PCI Pal.
*** This is a syndicated blog from the Security Bloggers Network Knowledge Center – PCI Pal, written by Geoff Forsyth. Read the original post at: https://www.pcipal.com/en/knowledge-centre/news/data-security-predictions-for-the-new-year/