Trustwave Data Security Index 2020

Keypoints

• Cybersecurity reports from major vendors typically include sections such as Introduction, Key Findings, Methodology, Threat Landscape, Organizational Practices, and Regulatory Impact, providing a comprehensive overview of the current cybersecurity environment.
• The reports emphasize trends like increased cloud adoption—most organizations now use hybrid cloud models and plan to move sensitive data into the cloud—highlighting the importance of cloud security strategies amidst multiple cloud service providers.
• Key statistics reveal that ransomware attacks now lead data breaches, with ransomware incidents quadrupling in 2019 to 18% of cases, and malware remains the top concern for 38% of organizations.
• Most organizations recognize the critical importance of data security, rating their database security strategies near the maximum importance level, reflecting the high stakes associated with data breaches.
• Patching practices show improvement in speed, with 61% patching within 24 hours, yet reliance on automatic patching—used by about 71%—raises questions about manual review and control, especially for sophisticated systems like databases.
• Threat awareness varies by region; while malware and ransomware are universally top concerns, regional variations include higher fears of phishing/social engineering in Singapore and the UK, demonstrating evolving threat landscapes.
• Small cybersecurity teams (mostly between 6-15 members) are responsible for vast organizational security responsibilities, with challenges like skills gaps and overconfigurations, emphasizing the need for automation and managed services.
• Organizations are increasingly moving sensitive and highly sensitive data to the cloud, driven by digital transformation efforts, with 52% planning to store highly sensitive data in the cloud within two years.
• Regulatory impacts, such as GDPR and CCPA, have influenced security strategies for only about 40% of organizations, indicating varying levels of compliance maturity across regions.
• Overall, the report highlights the importance of layered security, proactive vulnerability management, and the need for small teams to leverage automation, cloud security solutions, and continuous monitoring to combat growing threats.