In a guest commentary for Talk Business & Politics, Chris Wright, partner and co-founder, examines how the “go, go, go” mentality that defines the U.S. workforce also characterizes today’s cybercriminals.

Just as society constantly seeks efficiency and speed, attackers leverage tried-and-true methods, refining them for greater impact rather than inventing new techniques. How does Chris expect cybercriminals to refine their approaches?

• Ransomware evolution: Attackers will no longer just encrypt data for ransom. They now steal sensitive information to sell on the dark web or pressure businesses via key partners, maximizing financial and reputational damage.
• AI as a force multiplier: Cybercriminals will not be creators but adapters, using AI to enhance social engineering attacks, make phishing more convincing and bypass multi-factor authentication by exploiting legitimate platforms like DocuSign or Adobe Creative Cloud.
• Regulatory momentum: At the same time, Chris says the private sector is driving cybersecurity regulations, encouraging companies to move from compliance box-checking toward proactive risk management.
• Cyber hygiene remains crucial: In light of ever-evolving threats, Chris is adamant that individuals and businesses must maintain strong practices—such as unique passwords, MFA, patching systems, and layered security controls—to reduce the likelihood of breaches.

Chris encourages individuals to remain committed to cyber hygiene by consistently following best practices, such as strong and unique passwords and enabling multi-factor authentication. He also urges companies to develop a comprehensive strategy, ideally with the help of a seasoned cybersecurity expert, to implement layered controls to help them identify, protect, detect, respond to and recover from threats.

Read Chris’s full commentary.