Nowadays, with this fast-moving digital era, protecting your online data is everything. With over 11 million critical vulnerabilities exposed, cybersecurity threats are more rampant than ever.
These vulnerabilities are exploited by cybercriminals, so time is of the essence for businesses and individuals. This article discusses five popular yet risky cybersecurity issues and provides valuable advice on how you can fight them off before it’s too late.
1. Unpatched Software and Operating Systems
A 2025 National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) report found that unmitigated vulnerabilities constitute about 60% of cybersecurity incidents. Businesses consistently issue patches in response to security bugs, but many people and organizations don’t get around to installing updates.
Your best defense is to make sure all programs and operating systems are set to update automatically. You should also regularly look for patches, especially for such important software as operating systems, browsers, and security software. Keeping it all up to date means your system is less likely to fall victim to cyberattacks.
2. Weak Passwords and Default Credentials
Passwords are the first thing that keeps strangers from getting into your accounts and services without your permission. But many users still depend on weak passwords, including what are called “default” passwords used by manufacturers on devices, such as “123456” or “password.” A Verizon investigation in 2025 found that 81% of hacking-related breaches were because of weak or stolen passwords.
To protect your systems, you want to implement a strong password policy — one that requires users to have different complex passwords throughout. Password managers help you save and generate strong passwords. Also, find out if you can use multi-factor authentication (MFA) to add another layer of security.
3. Lack of Network Segmentation
Network segmentation is a way of breaking up your network into smaller, isolated chunks rather than letting hackers roam freely. In a system without segmentation, even a minor breach can have significant consequences. For 30% of companies with low segmentation, a breach affected their entire network, Cisco noted.
To reduce this exposure, segment your network along lines of data secrecy. For instance, put sensitive data on partitions not immediately accessible. This way, the cybercriminals will have a harder time moving into the other parts of your network if there’s a breach.
4. Inadequate Encryption Practices
Your data is being encrypted and, therefore, is not readable to someone who doesn’t have the decryption key. That being said, it would be best to have end-to-end encryption by default for everything sensitive. The list includes protecting email, files, and data at rest.
In addition, it would be an extra security layer to check how you are encrypting your data. This ensures that you are using a strong method according to industry standards (for example, AES-256) so that the security degree is high.
5. Insufficient Employee Training and Awareness
Human error accounts for 95% of cybersecurity breaches, according to an IBM study in 2025. Even the safest system is at risk if workers aren’t trained to spot and respond to threats.
Provide regular training so that employees can identify some of the common threats, such as phishing, social engineering, and unsafe email attachments.
Run simulated phishing attacks to track their awareness and make sure they can manage any other potential threats. A competent response team can stop many security breaches before they occur.
Enhance Defense Against Cyberattacks
Cybersecurity is an ever-changing problem that needs constant attention. You can make your defenses against hackers much stronger by fixing these five major weaknesses. Be careful, take proactive steps, and make sure that your data stays safe from the growing danger of cybercrime.
