5 Overlooked Cyber Threats That Could Put Your Data at Risk

You’ve locked your front door, but what if the real danger is coming through the back?

On May 12, 2023, Toyota faced a major cybersecurity issue when a misconfigured cloud database left over 2 million customer records exposed for nearly a decade. Hackers didn’t need advanced exploits. They simply found an open door Toyota forgot to lock.

MGM Resorts lost $100 million to cyber thieves who slipped past their security without needing passwords or breaking firewalls. All it took was a stolen session cookie, a tiny authentication file that gave them full access to internal systems.

These aren't small startups. They’re billion-dollar companies with massive cybersecurity budgets. If they can overlook simple threats, so can anyone.

The good news? You don’t need to be a cybersecurity expert to protect yourself. When you know where the risks are, you can take action before hackers do.

Here are five cyber threats most businesses ignore and how to stay ahead of them.

Shadow IT: The Security Risk You’re Not Thinking About

Ever downloaded an app or used an online tool without thorough safety checks? Perhaps you once saved a work file in your personal Google Drive or messaged a colleague using a free chat app.

If so, you’ve used Shadow IT, and it’s a significant security risk.

It seems harmless, but unapproved apps have caused massive data breaches. Hackers like Shadow IT because it allows sensitive company data to end up on unsecured websites. Many of these unauthorized apps lack strong security features, making them easy targets for cyber attacks. Worse, IT teams can’t update, monitor, or protect software they don’t know exists.

How to protect yourself:

• Regularly scan for unauthorized apps and block risky ones.
• Stick to company-approved apps and tools only.
• Use Cloud Access Security Brokers (CASBs) to monitor and control Shadow IT.

AI Powered Attacks: Smarter Scams, Bigger Risks

Hackers don't only guess passwords anymore. They use AI to attack faster, create realistic phishing scams, and automate cyberattacks.

They can generate deepfake videos and emails that mimic your CEO, coworkers, or family. It looks real. It sounds real. And that’s exactly why it works.

Even cybersecurity experts struggle to detect AI-powered scams. In 2024, a Hong Kong company lost $25 million after an employee attended a virtual meeting with what seemed like their UK director and colleagues. But none of them were real, they were AI-generated deepfakes. Convinced he was speaking to his team, the employee authorized multiple transactions before realizing it was all fake.

Traditional security tools can’t catch these evolving threats, making AI-powered scams even more dangerous.

Here’s how to protect yourself:

• Use AI-powered security tools to detect and block AI-generated attacks.
• Train yourself and your team to recognize deepfake scams and phishing emails.
• Double-check suspicious emails and messages, even if they look real.

Stolen Session Cookies: Hacker’s Shortcut Into Your Accounts

Remember the last time you logged into a website without filling in a password? It was a function of session cookies, small files that keep you authenticated. Hackers know how to steal these cookies and log into your account without your password.

Even multi-factor authentication (MFA) won’t stop them. The scariest part? You might not realize hackers have breached your system until it’s too late.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Log out of websites once you finish using them.
• Use browser extensions like uBlock Origin or Privacy Badger to block cookie thefts.
• Always clear cookies to remove stored login sessions.

Cloud Misconfigurations

Cloud storage makes life easier until it exposes your most sensitive files to the internet.

Many businesses assume their cloud provider handles all security, but that’s a dangerous mistake. Criminals actively scan the internet for unsecured cloud storage, and most companies don’t even realize they’re exposed.

Major data breaches have happened because companies forgot to lock down their cloud settings, leaking millions of customer records online.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Double-check cloud security settings. Never assume files are private.
• Use strong passwords and control who can access your cloud storage.
• Encrypt sensitive files so that even if hackers steal them, they can’t read them.

Supply Chain Attacks

Imagine your house has the best security system, but your neighbor forgets to lock their door, and a thief sneaks in through their house to get to yours.

That’s exactly how supply chain attacks work. Hackers don’t attack big companies directly; they first breach smaller, less secure vendors and use them as a backdoor.

Once inside, they use trusted connections to spread into bigger organizations. That's exactly how the SolarWinds attack happened. Hackers used a compromised software update to infiltrate thousands of companies worldwide.

How to Protect Yourself:

• Vet all third-party vendors for strong security practices.
• Use security tools that track software dependencies and risks.
• Monitor software updates to ensure they aren’t compromised.

How These Threats Are Evolving

Cyber threats aren’t going away. In fact, they’re getting worse:

• AI-powered phishing scams are now so realistic that even security professionals struggle to detect them.
• Self-learning AI now powers malware, allowing it to adapt in real time to avoid detection.
• Hackers are targeting supply chains more than ever, knowing that smaller vendors have weaker security.

Cybercriminals won’t stop evolving, which means you can’t afford to be complacent.

Bottom Line

Cyber threats aren’t always obvious, but now you know what to watch out for.

So, what’s your next move? Hackers are constantly looking for weak spots to exploit, but you have the power to stop them.

• Review your cybersecurity today.
• Update your policies and train your team.
• Stay informed, stay secure, and take action before an attack happens.

The best time to act is now. Don’t wait until it’s too late.