Cybersecurity News Update: Three Actions to Take Now

I've seen this pattern before, and it never ends well.

Since the Iran conflict escalated on February 28th, cybercrime has exploded by 245%. That's not a typo. Banking and fintech are taking the heaviest hits, accounting for 40% of all malicious traffic.

During my years at the FBI, we tracked how geopolitical tensions create perfect cover for cybercriminals. Nation-state actors blur the lines. Criminal syndicates exploit the chaos. And companies caught flat-footed pay the price.

Akamai's latest data shows botnet-driven reconnaissance up 70%, automated scanning up 65%, and credential harvesting attempts up 45%. These aren't random attacks, they're coordinated, calculated, and accelerating.

Here's what I need you to understand: Your organization is either a target or collateral damage. There's no middle ground right now.

Three actions for your security team TODAY:

• Enable MFA across ALL systems — no exceptions.

• Review and lock down privileged account access.

• Brief your employees on phishing and social engineering tactics.

  
  

The threat landscape has fundamentally shifted. Don't wait for the breach to take this seriously.

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About the Author

Darren Mott

Cybersecurity Expert and Owner of Gold Shield Cyber Investigations

Retired FBI agent Darren Mott has over 20 years of experience in cybercrime and cyber counterintelligence.

Darren manages a large team of cyber operators and analysts at a nation-level cybersecurity operations center and runs a burgeoning cyber consulting and cyber investigative firm. He is the author of Get Cyber Smart, a user-friendly guide to protecting your family, your business and yourself online and he hosts the ‘CyBUr Guy’, ‘CyBUr Smart Morning News Update’, and 'Tactical Cyber,' podcasts where he shares advanced cybersecurity strategies, news, and insights.

With his extensive background and dedication to increasing cybersecurity awareness, Darren is committed to helping law firms protect their sensitive information and stay ahead of evolving cyber threats.