In many ways, 2020 was a year of reckoning for data privacy on the internet. After more than a decade of enthusiastically embracing a “freemium” model in which consumers traded copious amounts of personal data for access to digital platforms, many are adopting a rapid about-face. Now, privacy is essential, and stakeholders are taking notice. To date, it’s clear that many companies see this as an obstacle, not an opportunity.

Dealing with insider threats requires a different strategy from other security challenges because of their very nature. Insiders have a significant advantage. They are aware of the organization’s policies, procedures, technology and vulnerabilities. They often have access to important systems, business IP and sensitive data. As such, they can cause a business the most damage compared to external attackers such as hackers.

Employee Monitoring is the process of tracking employee activities such as app use, internet browsing, email communications, file transfers etc. An employee monitoring solution allows a business to keep an eye on its users so that they cannot put the organization in harm’s way intentionally or accidentally by leaking sensitive data, sabotage, fraud, theft or other miscreants.

Ransomware has been the scourge of cybersecurity and may have led to a recent death. Now it soon may get way more dangerous The threats to cybersecurity are constantly evolving. As security teams develop solutions to the threats, malicious actors change their tactics to keep chasing their ill gotten gains. After all, the Game is the Game. And the game keeps changing. In recent years, ransomware has been the weapon of choice for hackers looking for a payday.

For many organizations, the past several years have been defined by an unending pursuit of data privacy and cybersecurity. Prompted by a daunting threat landscape, new regulatory standards and increasingly onerous consequences, companies invested millions in securing their digital infrastructure as an all-in attempt to meet the moment.

The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the already-robust adoption rates for employee monitoring software. Prominent publications, including The Washington Post and The New York Times, have reported on this trend, and they have documented employees’ general unease about the practice. Indeed, even before employees were relegated to their homes, many were uncomfortable with the idea of invasive and unbridled digital oversight.

There was nothing in particular that should have drawn attention to the two individuals sitting for drinks at the bar in Reno. Just two old colleagues catching up over some drinks. But if someone had paid close enough attention (and perhaps spoke Russian), then they might have overheard that one of the pair was attempting to recruit the other into what was possibly one of the biggest ransomware operations to date.

2020 is a uniquely transformative year. Prompted by a global pandemic, we’ve been forced to change many things about how we live, work and relate. For most businesses, this means a rapid and comprehensive shift toward remote work. While more than half of all employees participated in a rapid transition to remote work, it’s clear that this is more than just a temporary change.

Disagreement is one of the defining trends of 2020. However, I think most of us would agree that this year hasn’t turned out to be the kind of year that many of us anticipated when we celebrated on December 31st. Difficulty abounds on many fronts, reducing our ability to operate with precision and excellence. For companies balancing concerns about employee health, adjusting to a new hybrid workforce, and responding to shifting consumer demands, the challenges are many.