As Cybersecurity Month 2024 kicks off, businesses face a critical reality: digital threats are getting smarter. From ransomware to data breaches, the impact of unpreparedness can be severe. Cybersecurity isn’t a once-in-a-while issue anymore. It needs constant attention. Hackers are finding weaknesses many companies don’t even realize they have, which makes cybersecurity training, compliance, and hiring skilled cybersecurity engineers and analysts more important than ever.

This year’s theme, “Secure Our World,” couldn’t be more fitting. Remote work is here to stay, digital services keep growing, and cloud technologies are becoming the norm, which has widened the attack surface. 

For small businesses, investing in cybersecurity awareness training is crucial, while larger organizations are strengthening their defenses through smarter recruitment and advanced security measures. Cybersecurity Month is the perfect time to look closer at your vulnerabilities and fix what needs attention.

In this guide, we’ll walk through five key lessons to help you protect what matters most. Let’s get straight into it

1. Your Supply Chain Might be a Bigger Target than you Realize 

When we think about cybersecurity, we often focus on the direct attacks—the ones that hit your business head-on. And yes, those are a serious threat. But here’s something many businesses don’t always think about: supply chain attacks.

Cybersecurity Month has shown us that threats are no longer just trying to breach your business from the outside. More and more, they’re sneaking in through third-party vendors and suppliers. And the damage? It can be massive.

Following the COVID-19 pandemic, an Argon security review found that supply chain attacks had soared by over 300%. These attacks might not hit you directly, but the fallout can be catastrophic when they do.

Lesson Learned: It’s Not Just About Your Systems:

Most of the year’s most significant breaches didn’t come from within the company—they came through third-party vendors. Attackers know the weak points in your supply chain and exploit them.

According to the National Cyber Security Centre, “Supply chain attacks are a major cyber threat facing organizations, and incidents can have a profound, long-lasting impact on businesses.”

The Real Impact on Your Business

When an attack hits your supplier, it doesn’t just impact them—it impacts you. And the consequences can go way beyond just a temporary disruption. Here’s how it can play out:

• Reputation Damage: Even if your systems are rock solid, your customers may question your business security if your supplier gets breached. That trust you’ve built? Gone. And trust, once broken, is hard to rebuild.
• Operational Chaos: A supplier breach can throw your entire operation off track. Orders could be delayed, services halted, and you’ll be stuck scrambling to fix the mess. The financial and operational toll? It can be brutal.
• Costly Recovery: The recovery costs can stack up fast. From legal fees and compliance penalties to the cost of cleaning up the mess, an attack through your supply chain could leave you paying a hefty price.
• Legal Headaches: Breaches often come with legal risks, especially around data privacy laws like GDPR or CCPA. Non-compliance can result in hefty fines.

It’s easy to think, “Well, my business is secure, so we’re safe.” But if your vendors aren’t as secure, that’s where the problem lies. In 2024, ensuring the security of your supply chain is just as critical as securing your own systems.

What to Do: Take Charge and Protect Your Business: 

• Regular Vendor Audits: Don’t just assume your third-party vendors are secure. Regular audits are your first line of defense. Make sure they’re following best practices before a problem arises.
• Strict Access Controls: Only give your suppliers access to what they absolutely need. Keep the gates tight to reduce the chances of an attacker slipping through a vendor’s vulnerabilities.
• Demand Better Security: Put pressure on your vendors. Security should be a non-negotiable part of your contracts. If they can’t meet your standards, they may not be the right fit for your business.

When it comes to cybersecurity, you can’t afford to only focus on what’s inside your walls. Your supply chain might just be the most important thing you protect this year.

2. Your Cloud Security is Not Just the Provider’s Responsibility 

The move to the cloud has been a game-changer for many businesses, simplifying processes and enabling scalability. But this convenience comes with a cost—new vulnerabilities. Many businesses still assume their provider will handle all the security. Cybersecurity Month is the perfect time to clear up this common misconception.

The truth? Cloud security operates on a shared responsibility model. While cloud providers handle essential aspects like physical data center security and network protection, your business is still responsible for securing your own cloud environment. In fact, 45% of breaches are cloud-based, often due to things like misconfigurations or weak governance.

Let’s break down the roles between you and your cloud provider. 

Cloud Security: Who’s Responsible for What?

Your provider will take care of several key security measures to safeguard the infrastructure, but they don’t cover everything. Here’s what they handle and where your responsibility begins:

Provider’s role includes:

• Ensuring data encryption in transit and at rest
• Regular business security audits and compliance with industry standards like ISO 27001, HIPAA, and GDPR

But here’s where your responsibility kicks in:

• Implement multi-factor authentication (MFA)
• Regularly update software and devices for security
• Use strong passwords and limit access to authorized users
• Encrypt sensitive data on your end with tools like BitLocker or VeraCrypt

So, how can you strengthen your cloud security and reduce risks? Here are some actionable steps to get you started:

• Audit your cloud setup regularly for misconfiguration
• Strengthen access controls, ensuring only necessary personnel can view or manipulate sensitive data
• Encrypt your data at the user level to minimize risks
• Continuously monitor account activity for suspicious behavior

By taking charge of your part in the shared responsibility model, you can significantly lower the risk of breaches. As we mark Cybersecurity Month, it’s an excellent time to review your cybersecurity compliance measures and ensure your team is equipped with the right cybersecurity awareness training. Cloud security requires ongoing attention—don't leave it to chance.

3. AI is a Double-Edged Sword

We’ve covered the basics, but let’s talk about the future. As businesses embrace new technologies, one thing is clear—artificial intelligence is becoming a core tool in cybersecurity. But while it’s helping us catch threats faster, it’s also giving cybercriminals new ways to exploit vulnerabilities. So, as we move forward, we need to understand how to use AI responsibly.

The Reality: AI is Changing Cybersecurity

AI is already a big deal. In fact, over 50% of business owners are using AI to handle their cybersecurity and fraud management, according to a 2024 Forbes survey. That’s because AI can process massive amounts of data and spot patterns that humans might miss. It’s no wonder we’re seeing it used more and more in cybersecurity.

AI is helping in ways that were almost unthinkable a few years ago. Here’s how it’s transforming things:

• Threat detection: AI is really good at analyzing patterns and spotting suspicious activity that could indicate a cyber attack.
• Incident response: Some AI systems can even take action on their own. If a threat is detected, AI can automatically step in and stop it before it spreads.
• Vulnerability assessments: AI can quickly scan your systems for weaknesses, giving you a heads-up before attackers can exploit them.
• Phishing detection: AI’s ability to recognize phishing attempts is getting sharper, helping businesses block fake emails or malicious websites before they reach employees.
• Behavioral analytics: AI monitors user behavior, learning what’s normal and flagging anything unusual. This means even subtle threats don’t fly under the radar.

But There’s a Catch: AI Isn’t Perfect

While AI is amazing, it’s not without its flaws. Just like any tool, it has its weaknesses—and those weaknesses can be exploited.

Here’s what you need to watch out for:

• Data poisoning: If a hacker can manipulate the data used to train AI systems, they can skew results and make the AI less effective at catching threats. This means AI-powered tools could overlook some attacks.
• Tricking AI: Cybercriminals are finding ways to feed malicious inputs that confuse AI, causing it to miss or misinterpret threats. This means even when using AI, you can’t just rely on it entirely.
• Misconfiguration Madness: A simple setting mistake can leave your data wide open. It’s crucial to double-check your cloud configurations.
• Weak Passwords: Don't let your team fall into the trap of using easy-to-guess passwords. Encourage everyone to create strong, unique passwords and stay vigilant against phishing attempts.
• Inadequate Backups: Ransomware attacks are on the rise, and not having a solid backup plan can cost you dearly. Regular backups can save your data and your sanity.

What You Should Do

So, what does this mean for your business? AI is powerful, but it’s not a one-size-fits-all solution. Here’s how you can use it effectively while keeping business security top of mind this cybersecurity month:

• Keep your AI systems updated: Just like any software, AI needs regular updates to stay effective. Make sure you’re keeping up with the latest patches and fixes.
• Conduct regular security assessments: AI tools are great but not foolproof. Don’t skip out on regular business security checks to ensure everything runs smoothly.
• Stay compliant: When using AI, it’s important to follow data privacy laws like GDPR and keep an eye on cybersecurity compliance. AI should enhance your security, not put you at risk of legal trouble.
• Human oversight matters: Don’t rely on AI alone. It’s wise to have people in the loop who can step in when AI might miss something or when a new kind of attack emerges.
• Use AI ethically: AI is a powerful tool, but it can also be misused. Make sure your AI systems follow the law and don’t introduce new risks or biases.

The Takeaway

As businesses adopt more AI tools, particularly in cybersecurity, there’s no denying that it’s reshaping how we think about threat detection and response. But it’s also important to remember that while AI can significantly enhance our efforts, it’s not the final solution.

Human expertise still plays an incredibly key role in spotting nuances and tackling new, evolving threats. Balancing AI with regular updates, solid compliance practices, and continuous oversight is key for businesses that want to stay ahead in this new age.

4. Cybersecurity Tools Won't Protect You Without the Right Talent

As Cybersecurity Month continues, here’s an important lesson from us: the best cybersecurity tools in the world won’t protect you if you don’t have the right people managing them.

You can invest in all the cutting-edge software, firewalls, and automated defenses, but if you don’t have skilled people on your team, your business will always be vulnerable. In 2024, one key takeaway has become clear—many companies have suffered major security breaches not because of a lack of technology but because they didn’t have the right team in place to properly defend against threats.

It’s easy to assume that technology alone can solve all your business security problems, but the truth is that without the right expertise, even the most advanced tools won’t cut it. You need a team that understands the latest threats and can respond quickly when things go wrong. Cybersecurity isn’t just about having suitable systems in place; it’s about having the right people to manage those systems.

Key Point: Cybersecurity expertise is non-negotiable. The right people in the right roles can be the difference between a minor issue and a major breach that damages your reputation and bottom line.

The Talent You Need

Your business security team should be more than just a group of tech-savvy individuals. They should be experts who are always learning and always staying ahead of the latest threats. Here are just a few key roles that can make all the difference:

• Security Analyst
• SOC Analyst
• Penetration Tester
• Incident Responder
• CISO
• Security Architect
• Cloud Security Engineer
• Compliance Officer

What sets these skilled people apart? It’s their ability to stay one step ahead of the latest threats, understand complex systems, and respond quickly when something goes wrong. Without them, even the best technology will fall short.

Ongoing Training Is Key

Finding the right talent is just one part of the equation. Your team also needs to be constantly trained and updated on new threats. This is a great time to take stock of your team’s skills. Phishing attacks, ransomware, cloud security, and supply chain attacks—these are all areas where your team needs to be sharp. 

To ensure your team is as prepared as possible to combat developing threats, you need to: 

• Focus on hiring experienced cybersecurity professionals who understand the latest threats and vulnerabilities. Don’t just rely on technology—build a team that can adapt, learn, and anticipate risks.
• Invest in continuous training. phishing, ransomware, cloud security, and supply chain attacks are just some areas your team needs to stay sharp in. Your training should be ongoing, tailored, and interactive.
• Encourage a culture of security awareness across your entire business. Cybersecurity isn’t just the responsibility of the IT team; everyone should be involved in keeping your systems secure.

Download resources like the Microsoft Security ‘Be Smart Kit’ for Training to start building your team’s knowledge, or check out our other guides on How Deepfakes are Impacting Business Security: What You Can Do and A Complete Guide to Building an Internal Cybersecurity Team.

Cybersecurity Month 2024: Final Thoughts and Key Takeaways

This year’s Cybersecurity Month should be the beginning of something bigger for your business. The threats we’ve covered—ransomware, supply chain attacks, cloud vulnerabilities—aren’t going anywhere, and ignoring them puts your company at risk. 

Whether you're a small business just starting out or a larger organization with more complex operations, this is an opportunity to take control. Get serious about regular training, tighten up your security protocols, and ensure you have the right people to handle what’s coming next.

Don’t wait for the next Cybersecurity Month to act. Keep building on what you’ve learned, stay proactive, and protect your business all year long. The digital threats will keep evolving—so should your defenses.

How Ready Is Your Team to Tackle Tomorrow’s Cybersecurity Challenges?

At McGregor Boyall, we’ve been delivering exceptional, tailored recruitment services across sectors like cybersecurity, financial services, and the public sector since 1987. As a women-owned brand, we value the diversity and innovation essential for the tech sector’s growth. When you need the right team to secure your future, we’re here to help.

Contact us today to discover how we can help you build a stronger, safer digital world.