Cybersecurity: Taking The Initiative

To help address the issue of cybersecurity, a problem that appears to be showing no signs of slowing down, a number of companies throughout the U.S. are conducting an increasing number of strategic meetings to determine how much of their budgets are being put towards cyber-security initiatives. Experts agree that “organizations are usually hacked from the inadvertent, non-malicious but nonetheless unsafe activities of its employees. While it’s important to look at what state-of-the-art technology should be employed to mission-critical networks, one cost-effective element for thwarting the next threat is often overlooked: training.” Despite the increased protection provided by various anti-viruses and firewalls, sophisticated hackers have found ways to infiltrate a number of companies’ databases as a result of the lack of employees practicing safe practices. Reports have shown that there are a variety of causes to the growing number of security breaches worldwide. One potential factor in hackers gaining accessibility is the fact that many employees may use public Facebook accounts revealing personal information such as their complete name and date of birth, which could potentially provide cyber predators the necessary tools to obtain confidential information such as one’s Social Security number along with other information that could enable them to infiltrate not only businesses, but the personal accounts of its employees as well. Another potential risk is the issue of shadow Wi-Fi accounts, such as those that appear in conference halls or hotels, often resemble a reputable access point but instead target individuals traveling on business with the intent to expose all of the company information on their iPhone, iPad, or laptop. Since most individuals use multiple accounts, the idea of writing them down, whether on a piece of paper or unencrypted file on their phone or computer, can potentially provide an open invite to cyber criminals. More commonly, employees often receive e-mails from someone they don’t know directing them to a defective link instantly enabling the malware to infiltrate the company’s network. Since no organization is exempt from the risk of cyber-attacks, it is essential that all companies large and small emphasize to all of their employees of the company the importance of safe computer practices both in and out of the office. Experts agree that failure to properly train employees to better censor the material they expose themselves to in the cyber world will continue to create more complex challenges when it comes to keeping their databases secure. To learn more about what you or your company can do to stay protected, contact Taino Consulting Group. http://www.entrepreneur.com/article/239305