VikingCloud

Welcome to "Cyber Myths", a series by VikingCloud. 🔍 In this episode, we're busting one of the most common misconceptions in cybersecurity: "We're safe because we passed our compliance audit." The truth? While passing a compliance audit shows you met a standard, it only reflects your security posture at a single moment in time #Cybersecurity #CyberMyths #ComplianceAudit

Organizations are spending more on cybersecurity than ever. But one question keeps coming up in boardrooms: Is that spending actually reducing risk? Compliance reports and tool deployments don’t always answer that question. Our latest blog explores how organizations can move beyond checkbox security and start measuring the real business value of risk assessments—turning cybersecurity from a cost center into measurable risk reduction. Read the blog: bit.ly/4sDaDJP. Hashtags: #CyberSecurity #RiskManagement #BusinessValue #SecurityROI #Infosec

27 years in cybersecurity. One consistent focus: reduce real risk. As Global Security Architect at VikingCloud, Fayyaz Makhani doesn’t chase noise, trends, or tool overload. He asks the hard questions early. He challenges assumptions. He forces clarity where it matters most. Because activity isn’t progress. And more tools don’t equal more security. In our latest spotlight, Fayyaz shares: -Why AI without accountability creates blind spots. -The biggest mistake organizations make when investing in security. -What actually changes a company’s risk posture. Meet the architect behind the real-world risk mindset. bit.ly/3N2ARX6. #Cybersecurity #RiskReduction #SecurityLeadership

Iran-backed cyber groups are escalating operations against U.S. businesses following recent geopolitical developments. For small and medium-sized businesses, the stakes are existential. As reported by Inc. Magazine,, VikingCloud’s 2025 SMB Survey found that 1 in 5 SMBs say a successful cyberattack would force them out of business permanently. When nation-state activity rises, opportunistic campaigns often follow. SMBs may not be the primary target, but they are often the most exposed. Preparedness now separates disruption from permanent closure. Read more in Inc: bit.ly/4bxgiKL . #CyberRisk #SMBSecurity #BusinessResilience #ThreatLandscape

SMBs have gotten the message: cybersecurity is now a bigger threat than the economy. This is the first year 75% rank it as the risk most likely to disrupt operations. But awareness hasn't translated into action. 84% of business owners still self-manage their cybersecurity. 57% have delayed growth investments out of fear that change will increase risk. And 66% regularly work late nights and weekends just to keep up with security alerts. The result is a widening gap between the threats SMBs face and the resources they have to fight them. The shift from economic worry to cyber worry is real, but the response hasn't caught up yet. Read more in VikingCloud’s 2026 SMB Threat Landscape Blog: bit.ly/4bo6oMp. #CyberLeadership #SMBRisk #ThreatLandscape #CyberBurnout

MURTEC. Las Vegas. Booth #108. VikingCloud delivers cybersecurity and compliance protection that simply works—built for restaurants operating at scale. Meet with us and see what Business Uninterrupted looks like in 2026. Book time now: bit.ly/4spLxOF. Matthew DellaCroce, Steven Rosenthal, Kamran Chaudhary, Patrick O'Sullivan.

ICYMI! 🚨 In this episode Brian Odian discusses how easy public Wi-Fi can be abused, using small inexpensive equipment. Check out the full episode: bit.ly/49FlkDJ. #Cybersecurity #PublicWiFi #WiFiSecurity

Security leaders can list their tools. Fewer can quantify their real-time exposure. In his latest Forbes Tech Council article, Rick Hutchinson explains why cybersecurity resilience in 2026 will depend on continuously measuring and prioritizing risk rather than relying on static controls and periodic assessments. As AI accelerates system behavior and attack chains, risk changes faster than traditional frameworks can track. Rick outlines how unified visibility, continuous asset-level scoring, and AI-driven behavioral analysis help leadership understand where exposure is concentrating and whether it is increasing or declining. In 2026, resilience will be defined by how well organizations govern cyber risk as a measurable business variable. Read the full Forbes Tech Council article here: bit.ly/4bT9EjE. #RiskManagement #CyberStrategy #CyberResilience #CyberLeadership #ThreatIntelligence

New Research: The math on small business survival has changed in 2026. 75% of SMBs now rank cyberattacks as their top operational threat, ahead of inflation, recession, and workforce challenges combined. And 40% say a cyberattack costing just $100,000 could force them to close their doors. The most likely outcomes after a successful attack? - Loss of customers (50%) - Reputational damage (48%) - Business downtime (48%) For the first time, cybersecurity has overtaken every traditional economic concern on the SMB risk register. It's not a technology problem anymore. It's a business continuity problem. Read more in VikingCloud’s 2026 SMB Threat Landscape Press Release: bit.ly/4b5TcLT.. Access the full findings in VikingCloud's 2026 SMB Threat Landscape Report: bit.ly/4u0f9DR. #SMBSecurity #CyberResilience #BusinessContinuity #RiskManagement

Attackers no longer force their way in—they’re invited through existing access. As the WSJ reports, cybercriminals are actively recruiting disgruntled employees and contractors to gain authorized access to enterprise systems, offering a share of ransomware payments or stolen data in return. Economic pressure, layoffs, and automation are widening the pool of potential insider risk. In fact, 36% of cyber leaders report that over a quarter of their cybersecurity incidents stem from insiders, either accidental or malicious. Employees now serve as the first and last line of defense against sophisticated cyber threats. Insider risk has moved into the mainstream, exploiting people and permissions rather than technical gaps. Now more than ever, leaders must take steps to reassess their company’s security culture to gain insight into how that impacts incident reporting and response. Read more in The Wall Street Journal : on.wsj.com/4aw0gjC. #InsiderThreat #CyberSecurity #DataProtection #RiskManagement #ThreatLandscape

ICYMI! 🚨 In this Episode of Cyber Myths, we discuss the common misconception that cybersecurity is an IT problem, not a business problem. Another myth busted! #Cybersecurity #CyberMyths #SMEs

We're excited to exhibit at the GoTo Foods Global Franchise Conference! If you're attending, stop by and let's chat about what VikingCloud can do for your franchise. Busy schedule? We get it. Schedule some time to meet us here: bit.ly/4kN9KvE. #Cybersecurity #QSR #CybersecurityForRestaurants

Record-breaking breaches aren’t slowing down. New data shows 3,332 data compromises in 2025, the highest total ever recorded and a 4% increase over 2024. This trend mirrors what security leaders have observed over the past year: ● 71% report an increase in the frequency of cyberattacks. ● 61% note that cyberattacks have become more severe. ● 59% faced at least one successful cyberattack. When breaches become routine, the real risk shifts from isolated incidents to sustained exposure. Keeping pace now means understanding not just how attacks happen, but how often and how hard they’re hitting. Read more in this HIPAA Journal article: bit.ly/4qJ87Ay. #CyberSecurity #DataBreaches #HealthcareSecurity #CyberRisk #ThreatLandscape

How can security teams keep pace with AI's rapidly evolving attack methods? Security programs need to shift the focus of what they optimize. Three key adaptations make the difference: 1. Pattern-Matching to Behavior-Mapping. Instead of asking, “Does this match known malware or phishing?” ask, “Does this behavior make sense for this user, system, or transaction in this context?” 2. Static Controls to Adaptive Risk Scoring. Binary allow-or-block logic is too rigid for AI-driven threats. Use dynamic, 0–100 risk scoring by session, transaction, and entity, and apply friction based on risk so business can continue to move. 3. Shift from Prevention to Continuous Anomaly Detection Not every AI-generated attack can be stopped at the perimeter. Focus on: - Assume some attacks will get in. - Watch continuously for behavioral deviations inside. - Respond surgically and quickly when they appear. Want to learn more? bit.ly/4bFtMFF. #CyberAttack #ThreatDetection #CyberResilience #AI #TechTrends

Security teams are being asked to do more than ever with fewer people and tighter budgets. For many organizations, hiring “one more security expert” isn’t realistic. The focus is shifting from headcount and budgets to security execution. The answer? Managed Detection and Response (MDR). It’s not simply a tool. It’s an operational redesign that gives organizations the skilled expertise, 24×7 monitoring, and threat response capabilities they need without chasing scarce talent. Find out why MDR is the strategic choice your organization should make: bit.ly/3ZJscLU. #Cybersecurity #ManagedSecurity #CyberRisk #SecurityOperations #MDR

Cyberattacks aren't slowing down; they're accelerating. By 2030, they're projected to cost businesses $15.63 trillion globally. That's not a distant threat. That's happening right now. This video analyzes the most devastating cyberattacks from the past 15 years. From the recent U.S. telecommunications breach to historical incidents like SolarWinds, Colonial Pipeline, Equifax, WannaCry, and more. The patterns uncovered are alarming, but the lessons are clear: 🔴 No organization is too big, too critical, or too secure to be targeted. 🔴 70% of cyberattacks involve ransomware. 🔴 Nation-state cyber warfare is an escalating reality. 🔴 Most breaches could have been prevented with proactive security measures. Here's what separates the businesses that survive from those that don't: ✅ Multi-factor authentication (MFA). ✅ Regular penetration testing. ✅ Comprehensive employee security training. ✅ Proactive vulnerability scanning. The companies that thrive in 2025 and beyond won't be the ones scrambling to recover from breaches, they'll be the ones that prevented them in the first place. Want more details? We broke down these attacks, what went wrong, and the critical security lessons every business needs to implement now in this blog: bit.ly/46SmfA2. How is your organization preparing for the evolving threat landscape? share your thoughts below. #Cybersecurity #BusinessSecurity #RiskManagement #InfoSec #DataProtection #CyberThreats

Cyber risk is now firmly in the boardroom. In 2025, 52% of organizations reported losing more than 5% of total revenue due to cyber incidents, forcing executives to rethink how resilience is measured and funded. In his latest Forbes Tech Council article, Kevin Pierce outlines six predictions shaping 2026, including: 1. Autonomous AI-driven attacks operating at scale. 2. PCI DSS v4.x enforcement reshaping payment security. 3. Ransomware focused on operational disruption. 4. Third-party compromise as a primary breach path. 5. Growing cybersecurity talent constraints. 6. Continuous compliance enforcement tightening globally. Resilient organizations in 2026 will be those that align cybersecurity investments with measurable business outcomes before disruption hits. Read the full Forbes Tech Council article here: bit.ly/4kBQlh0. #CyberLeadership #ExecutiveStrategy #CyberResilience #ThreatLandscape #AIThreats

In this snippet from our recent webinar, "VikingCloud Cyber Threat Landscape Report: What Your 2026 Security Strategy Can't Ignore", Kevin Pierce discusses why SMBs list cybersecurity as their biggest threat to operations. Weren't able to attend the live webinar? Don't worry, it's now available on-demand: bit.ly/40fUFZU. #Cybersecurity #CyberRisk #InfoSec #CISO #ThreatLandscape

VikingCloud's CyberIntel season 7 episode 3! 🚨 In this episode Brian Odian discusses how easy public Wi-Fi can be abused, using small inexpensive equipment. #Cybersecurity #PublicWiFi #WiFiSecurity

With AI, attackers can mutate tactics at lightning speed. Traditional tools can’t keep up, and security teams are paying the price. There is a better way to fight back. Get the full story—check out our latest blog: bit.ly/4boWE5c. #Cybersecurity #AI #DigitalDefense #Resilience #SecurityAwareness