This is going to be a wild year for companies and preparing for the worst is crucial as companies need to operate, regardless of what mother nature or hackers have in mind. Here are the biggest concerns to your business in 2019.

1. Cryptomining is a huge threat to business as it robs a company of processing productivity. Hackers find ways to install cryptomining software on devices and use them to generate digital money such as bitcoin and others. While the price of these currencies have dipped as of late – when the cost to a mine is zero because they use your resources, there is no reason not to infect your computers. While the activity of mining may not constitute a huge drain, another factor to consider is how such activity is covered by PCI and HIPAA compliance as well as GDPR. In many cases, companies will have to disclose this activity which can cause reputational damage and legal liability.
2. Freak weather could continue. After historic periods in the US without hurricanes or tornados, the law of averages will likely catch up – if it isn’t already doing so.
3. IoT hijacking will continue as these devices are proliferating – meaning a bigger opportunity for hackers. Sensors, voice assistants, door locks, industrial control systems, logistics and medical systems are just a few areas where attackers will up their game this year.
4. Nation-State hacking will continue to be a major problem. This week the U.S. decided to prosecute Huawei on trade secret violations. China has already responded to a high-level arrest of a Huawei exec by sentencing a Canadian to death in retaliation. They will likely up their cyber game. North Korea, Russia and Iran have become more active as well and will continue to cause problems.
5. Government Shutdown issues will continue to wreak havoc on cybersecurity as many cyber security positions have been furloughed. These positions often coordinate with business meaning potential huge problems for all companies.
6. Silicon Valley growth – especially from Amazon, Google and Facebook will continue to put pressure on companies looking for top tech talent – often in network design and cybersecurity areas. The result will be other businesses scrambling to fill open positions.

Companies need to prepare for the worst while expecting the best. Be sure you have a business continuity plan in place, UPS batteries which are new and a way to test it all to be sure when disaster strikes, your business is able to keep operating. Also - be sure to look for a quality MSP to help your company handle these important issues.