Cybersecurity has been an absolute hotbed of news to start 2021. In just three short months, there have been massive data breaches, government action and a flurry of new illuminative reports, all in the backdrop of an ongoing pandemic. As you can imagine, these events and trends are making headlines and creating ripples across the sector. There’s much more to the picture though, and we’ll take an in-depth look at what security media are currently covering amid the ongoing pandemic and escalating attacks.
Breaches & Hacks & Leaks, Oh My!
Since the onset of the pandemic, cyberattacks have been on a torrid increase as many organizations and schools converted to being remote. Unfortunately, it seems like there’s a major ransomware, breach or leak occurring daily as hackers are taking advantage of this dramatic digital. In particular, the past four months have been an absolute whirlwind of cybersecurity attacks and incidents, beginning with the SolarWinds hack in December 2020. As that fallout continues and several other high-profile breaches amassed headlines, it’s led to a snowball effect expanding far beyond traditional security publications.
As a result of these attacks, business and government leaders are also taking measures to bolster defenses which has picked up additional media attention. Journalists are now regularly covering various announcements ranging from the $2B cybersecurity package in the recent stimulus bill and the executive order reviewing supply chain security. These situations present opportunities for industry thought leaders to provide detailed insight on how various attacks or attempted hacks occurred, what enterprises can improve going forward and why security must remain a priority.
The Pandemic Remains Front and Center
The pandemic remains a central narrative for stories, reports and industry announcements. While there’s undoubtedly fatigue around the topic, many publications are covering findings related to how security teams have adjusted to new methods of operation, increasing digital transformation, rising security risks and the growth of cybercrime. Information is being continuously gathered and published that puts a spotlight on how the cybersecurity industry has been impacted financially, strategically and operationally, prompting outlets to further examine the pandemic’s effects and how organizations are responding.
As vaccines supplies and vaccination numbers ramp up, stories around safeguarding vaccination data collection, proposed passports and sharing vaccine cards are picking up steam. Even after vaccines are administered on a widespread level, it will still be a subject of conversation with organizations addressing hybrid workplaces and related security adjustments.
Use Cases & Financial News
Writers and reporters always appreciate supporting evidence and are continuously examining how certain organizations are utilizing new or improved defense methods to shore up security. Case studies are excellent assets that give a new service offering additional context while creating a unique story angle for journalists. Security advancements around artificial intelligence and machine learning turn into richer narratives when there’s tangible evidence of how customers are successfully implementing the technology and seeing its utility. Organizations that can detail unique security implementations and provide proof points of effectiveness are intriguing stories that go far above and beyond product or software announcements.
Additionally, the technology industry as a whole has long been an intriguing and attention-grabbing sector from a financial perspective. Recently, special purpose acquisition companies (SPACs) have taken over headlines relating to publicly traded cloud computing and cyber–defense companies. This, along with corporate finance news, mergers, acquisitions and industry partnerships, remains an attractive angle for security writers as industry investments heat up.
Cybersecurity will remain a hot topic through the remainder of 2021 as these narratives look to drive the news cycle for the near future. Fallout is still being assessed from recent cyberattacks as more incidents occur each day. Government action on security legislation is also on the horizon as a direct result. How companies manage security challenges of ongoing remote and hybrid work situations continues to play a major role. Further, rising interest in publicly traded security companies and corporate use cases will add more fuel for the media. Knowing how to correctly navigate these storylines will better position companies for media coverage and inclusions in the most sought–after conversations.