Google’s annual ‘Year in search’ report offers fascinating insights into people’s online search behaviour. At Redscan, we’ve set about using Google Trends data to demonstrate how the cyber security industry has changed over the last 15 years.
Read our report to learn the most searched for:
Personalities in cyber security
Kevin Mitnick is said to be the World’s most famous hacker but is this enough for him to take the top spot on our list of most searched for personalities in cyber security? Read our report to find out, and also discover the cyber celebrities with a level of search popularity comparable to Ferris Bueller actor Ben Stein and Sandra Denton of rap duo Salt-N-Pepa!
Imitated brands in relation to phishing scams
To dupe as many people as possible, social engineering scams leverage well-known brands, particularly those relating to companies in service sectors such as retail and finance. Read our report to learn which organisation is the most searched for in relation to phishing activity in the UK.
Data breaches
There have been some huge data breaches over the last 15 years, but which one has generated the most search interest and why? Read our report to also discover how businesses can learn from such incidents, including why it’s important to proactively identify and respond to threats.
Security threats/vulnerabilities
WannaCry, the ransomware cryptoworm, which caused massive disruption to organisations around the world, is one of the most infamous cyber threats of the last five years. But can you guess which security vulnerability, when it was first discovered, generated a spike in online search interest more than twice as large?
Cyber security companies
For a long time, McAfee has claimed to be the World’s largest dedicated cyber security company, but does Google data support this? Read our report to discover the identity of the top five cyber security companies by online search volume. Clue: Redscan is not on the list just yet!
Privacy stories
Internet privacy is an issue that’s been heavily under the spotlight in recent years, highlighting the need for people to be more cautious when sharing information online. In our report we identify the key event that’s driven more searches for privacy than any other.
Additional learnings from our ‘Cyber security in search’ report:
Cyber security – one word or two?
Whether cyber security should be one word or two has long been a bone of contention. Can search data settle the debate once and for all? Read our report to also understand how the search terms we use in relation to the security industry have changed over time.
Threats of growing interest (as well as those on the decline)
With cyber threats continuing to evolve on an almost daily basis, it’s only natural to expect there to be changes in the threats most searched for online. We use Google data to examine the threats that people are most interested in today.
Changes in security technologies and trends
Changes to the threat landscape mean that new security technologies are continually being developed to keep pace. What does search data tell us about how people and organisations are approaching the challenge of cyber security and the solutions now attracting the greatest interest?
Interest in the GDPR
In the weeks immediately prior to its enactment, many businesses were in a widespread panic about the GDPR and how to comply. What do Google search trends reveal about how well organisations were prepared for the regulation and how they have responded to it since?
The outlook for the future of the security profession
With the current shortage of cyber security professionals estimated to be around 3 million, many organisations are struggling to attract and retain the talent they need. Do searches for cyber security ‘jobs’, ‘courses’ and ‘salaries’ give us reason to be optimistic that this situation is likely to change any time soon?
