We used to have peace of mind storing our most personal and sensitive information in a sturdy safe deposit box – we could simply walk away with a feeling that our valuable items and information would be safe. Now, much of our personal identifying information accompanies us everywhere we go, plugged into a massive Internet ecosystem that is in a constant state of transformation and growth.
With Cybersecurity Awareness Month quickly approaching, it’s a good reminder that securing our devices and networks is no longer just desirable – it’s essential.
Industry trends reflect this need – experts estimate that spending on information security will total $172 billion in 2022, and predictions show that by 2025 cumulative spending could be as high as $1.75 trillion.1
RANSOMWARE
A type of malware that restricts access to data and demands that a payment be made to the attacker to restore access.
While cyberattacks can feel increasingly frequent, both the public and private sectors have been hard at work – learning from each incident to better protect critical infrastructure and consumers and to preempt the threats of tomorrow.
The consensus? A robust approach to cybersecurity should be:
- Elastic – with the ability to scale up or down depending on the needs of the day;
- Designed with solutions in mind for every level of attack – from web-based threats like phishing to ransomware attacks potentially impacting entire networks; and
- Constantly innovating and investing – to keep up with the fast-paced evolution of our networks and stay ahead of bad actors so we can stop them in their tracks.
PHISHING
Phishing is a common trick bad guys use to “fish” for consumers’ financial information and password data using fake company emails and web sites.
Cyber attacks pay no mind to geographic borders, nor the laws that differentiate one country from another – and its global nature necessitates a global response. At AT&T, we’re prepared to provide that response as we operate a network in over 209 countries on six continents and are constantly improving our cyber protection for our customers.
Our robust, global approach to security means the communities we serve can rest easier knowing that we are constantly working hard to protect their data and systems. This is true for all our customers – whether it’s a community like Vanderburgh County getting connected to our fiber network, a large enterprise using our VPN services in Europe, or an individual sending a text message to a loved one.
With data security in mind, our advanced cybersecurity system has many priorities, including:
- Helping protect our customers’ information;
- Working with government agencies and participating in the broader security ecosystem;
- Taking a proactive approach to vulnerability detecting and protection during an attack;
- Preparing recovery operations for continuity after disruptions; and
- Taking an innovative approach to cybersecurity including topics such as multi-factor authentication, zero trust and other evolving techniques to cybersecurity.
At the heart of our service is the AT&T Chief Security Office, comprised of experts and specialists who establish policies, requirements, and comprehensive programs that incorporate security into every facet of AT&T computing and networking environments.
- The Chief Security Office has employees located in 12 countries and 39 states – helping keep our network, company and customers safe from cyber threats, through our always-on detection and mitigation practices.
DID YOU KNOW?
The ever-changing nature of tech threats means we need to be able to constantly adapt and create new solutions.
With more commercial wireless spectrum, we can continue to advance faster than the bad actors and prepare ourselves to protect evolving 5G networks before they are at risk.
Within the Chief Security Office researchers collaborate to mitigate cyber risks in dynamic areas such as 5G, Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence. As these researchers seek out new ways to utilize the power of the network for new security solutions, they require an adept spectrum pipeline to keep up their cutting-edge work.
AT&T Cybersecurity, a part of AT&T Business, provides a wide range of products and services to assist customers directly. From network security to endpoint security to consulting, AT&T Cybersecurity can be a one shop stop for companies’ security needs.
While our team of experts work to stay ahead of large-scale attacks, we also understand the importance of cyberattacks that target individuals and offer a range of tools to protect from smaller-scale attacks.
AT&T CYBERSECURITY TOOLS
AT&T ActiveArmorSM provides built-in defenses and advanced content controls.
AT&T’s Cyber Aware works to put a stop to phishing emails and phone call scams.
AT&T SASE with VMware helps protect networks for employees wherever they’re conducting business.
- It’s estimated in 2021 that there were well over 100 billion scam calls that took place, and Americans who fell victim to these calls lost an average of $567.
As networks – and in turn digital lifestyles – continue to evolve through advancements in fiber and wireless, our cybersecurity work will continue to evolve with it. To better prepare for the increasingly digital future, we’re collaborating with industry experts to advance our cybersecurity protections.
- Through our AT&T Alien Labs® Open Threat Exchange® (OTX™) – the world’s first open threat intelligence community – we’re collaborating with companies and government agencies, quickly sharing relevant information regarding cyber threats to avoid major breaches and minimize the damage from attacks.
And we’re looking forward to continuing these collaborations to better protect the information on our networks and prepare for future threats –leading to safer and more secure communities.
The bottom line: Cyberattacks can happen to anyone at any time, meaning communities need robust protection from these threats. AT&T’s Cybersecurity programs never sleep – we’re committed to utilizing our scale and expertise to combat the threats of today and tomorrow to help keep communities safe.
“We monitor the security of our network 24/7. Our experts develop and use tools including automation, algorithms, artificial intelligence and shared alerts – all available to experts in our operations center. It’s critical we evolve our capabilities and sharpen our situational awareness tools as these attacks increase in scale.” – Bill O’Hern, Chief Security Officer, AT&T
If you want to hear more about how to help keep communities safe from cyber risks and our approach to cybersecurity, tune in to our 2022 AT&T Security Conference next Tuesday, October 4, where industry experts – including Bill O’Hern and many others – will discuss the current cybersecurity landscape.
1 2022 Cybersecurity Spending Trends | Dataprise (March 11, 2022)
