Cyber security has been an essential aspect of every IT organization, especially since the advent of the internet. However, the impact on cyber security since the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic has been something to behold. According to some studies, cybercrime has risen 600% due to the COVID-19 pandemic. That is a staggering figure by any measure. It puts a spotlight directly on the security architecture practices of small and large companies.

According to Gartner, establishing a world-class security program typically takes three to five years in large enterprises. However, COVID has sped that timeline; 2020 and 2021 saw double-digit increases in cybersecurity budgets, and even though it has come down to 6% in 2023, cybersecurity is still a critical component of an IT organization. 

With this week’s subject around security architecture, I will share some news stories about cyber security here. Number 1: hack of LastPass, a password manager solution. Although LastPass disclosed the Aug 2022 hack at the time, it did not provide additional details till December 2022. This was a major turnoff for many customers, including myself, who dropped their services. Number 2: crypto gangs hijacking of YouTube channels and scamming people by selling them fraudulent crypto. You must watch this video from famous tech YouTuber Linus Sebastian to understand how these hacks were perpetrated.

Security Architecture, in a larger scope, applies to enterprise-grade best practices. However, you would be best served also to use basic security practices in your personal tech space. The two examples above speak to how a company failed to prevent an attack and then erred in communicating with its customers in time, hurting its financial bottom line. And a tech YouTuber who fell victim to the same attack vector as the larger enterprise. Let me know how you practice cybersecurity safety at work and in your domain.