It’s official: 2024 is another landmark year for cybersecurity. From high-profile attacks to clever phishing campaigns, hackers have been busy refining their playbooks. But don’t despair. For every breach splashed across the news, there’s a lesson to be learned — and for every lesson learned, there’s an opportunity to protect ourselves better moving forward.
What notable 2024 cybersecurity incidents can teach us
Here are valuable cybersecurity insights drawn from real-world events in Canada and beyond:
Cyberattacks don’t play favorites
In January, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) disclosed that they were targeted by a cyberattack. While they didn’t confirm whether this breach compromised internal systems and sensitive police data, it undermined public trust in the institution.
This attack on a large, established organization underscores that no one is immune to cyberthreats. Businesses, especially smaller ones, should:
- Train employees: Regular cybersecurity awareness training can significantly reduce human error, a leading cause of breaches.
- Strengthen backup policies: Have offline backups of your systems and critical data to enable swift recovery and minimal downtime in case of a breach.
- Invest in endpoint detection: Implement solutions that monitor risky activity across all your endpoints (e.g., desktops, servers, smartphones, and other devices) to identify and isolate malware before it spreads.
Phishing scams are getting more sophisticated
Phishing emails no longer rely on obvious errors in spelling and formatting to trick users. Instead, they have evolved to become highly convincing imitations of genuine communications, posing a significant cybersecurity threat. In November, the Canadian Revenue Agency (CRA) alerted the public to a surge in phishing campaigns during tax season. These scams target businesses and individuals alike, capitalizing on the trust and familiarity associated with tax refund offers and using convincingly designed emails that mimic official CRA communications.
Thwarting advanced phishing threats such as these requires an extra layer of vigilance across all your systems:
- Enable multifactor authentication (MFA): Even if your employees’ login credentials become compromised through phishing, requiring MFA can halt the attacker’s access.
- Use AI anti-phishing tools: Solutions such as machine learning-based email filters can auto-detect phishing attempts and block them so they don’t reach inboxes.
- Get cyber insurance: Phishing attacks often result in immediate monetary loss, so having an insurance policy can help recover stolen funds.
Read also: How to protect your business from phishing attacks: Strategies and warning signs
Third-party vendors can create weak links
Earlier this year, the popular eCommerce platform Shopify dealt with a data breach caused by vulnerabilities in one of its third-party apps. Although Shopify itself adheres to stringent security practices, a vendor’s failure to patch software led to a ripple effect, exposing thousands of users’ personal data.
Your security is only as good as your weakest link, and sometimes that weak link isn’t even in your network: it’s in your vendor or partner’s. It’s therefore essential to:
- Vet vendors thoroughly: Before partnering with any app or agency, ask to see their data protection policies and recent security certifications.
- Create vendor-specific access rules: Limit the access third-party apps or vendors have to your systems and make sure that they only get the data required for their function.
- Monitor continuously: Use tools such as security information and event management software to keep a pulse on all network activity, especially from third-party systems.
It takes just one flaw for a breach to happen
One of the most noteworthy cyberattacks of 2024 targeted Trello, a widely used project management platform. In July, the hacker responsible for the breach revealed they had stolen the personal data of 15 million users way back in January. The breach stemmed from an insecure application programming interface (API) endpoint — a tool that allows different software applications to communicate. This endpoint required no login, enabling the hacker to link email addresses from breached databases to Trello accounts, thereby exposing user identities.
To avoid falling into the same trap, do the following:
- Audit APIs regularly: Periodically assess APIs to identify and close security gaps. Implement strict authentication measures, such as token-based access, to prevent unauthorized usage.
- Always check for unusual activity: Early detection of suspicious activity, such as abnormal API requests, can mitigate large-scale breaches.
- Limit access privilege: Only people who truly need access to sensitive data and systems should be given permissions. By minimizing the number of individuals with elevated privileges, you drastically reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
Keep threats off your back in 2025 and beyond with XBASE Technologies
XBASE Technologies is dedicated to fortifying your cybersecurity defenses by leveraging lessons from real-world attacks. Our comprehensive suite of services includes
- Advanced threat detection and prevention – cutting-edge tools to monitor and neutralize potential threats to prevent them from causing harm
- Incident response planning – tailored strategies to mitigate data loss and downtime in the event of a cyber incident
- Employee training programs – regular, engaging sessions to help your team recognize and avoid phishing scams, ransomware traps, and other cyberthreats
- Secure backup solutions – robust backup and recovery systems that guarantee the safety of your critical data even during emergencies
Cybercriminals are relentless, but your business doesn't have to be a victim of their schemes. Contact XBASE Technologies today to build a proactive, resilient cybersecurity framework that protects your operations and reputation.