You don’t have to look far for proof that cybercrime is soaring to new heights. Early in the pandemic the U.N. reported cybercrime had increased 600% and other experts estimate damages from global cybercrime to reach $10.5 trillion annually by 2025, up from $3 trillion in 2015. Last year alone, we started 2021 in the fog of the SolarWinds attack and finished with the infamous Log4j vulnerabilities, the full impact of which will take years to understand.

Ransomware attacks on Colonial Pipeline, JBS Foods and Kronos are just a few recent examples in the rise of cyber-physical attacks that disrupt lives of individuals and have the potential to cause physical harm. This concerning trend is capturing the attention of organizations worldwide, with Gartner predicting that 75% of CEOs will be personally liable for cyber-physical security incidents by 2024.

The “Tinder Swindler” is an extreme example of how online scammers can mask their identity, charm their victims and bilk them of millions of dollars, but the point is made. Whether you’re looking for love this Valentine’s Day or wanting to show your loved ones how much you appreciate them, beware of online scams. Some of the latest involve gift cards, where scammers who have honed their craft and done their homework about you, ask for payment in the form of gift cards.

The security operations center (SOC) has been on the front line facing the pandemic-induced escalation of cybersecurity threats in the past eighteen months. A 2020 study by Forrester found that the average security operations team receives more than 11,000 alerts per day and that figure is likely to have grown in the intervening period. While they were deeply engaged responding to the crisis, SOC teams were simultaneously facing the disruption common to all formerly office-based workers.