We’ve All Been Deputized in Cybersecurity Conflicts. Here’s How to Protect Your Data and Others
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If anyone had any illusions their personal information was safe on the last undisturbed server, that bubble unequivocally burst over the summer.
When a hacker dumped 2.7 billion records (with SSNs) onto the dark web in the wake of an unprecedented breach, one lesson became clear: reluctant or not, we’re all in the cybersecurity fight.
From executive leadership to entry-level employees, we’re all being targeted by scams, social engineering, and data breaches.
The good news is there are plenty of resources out there to keep you prepared and aware of the latest threats to your organization (we’ve put together some security and anti-fraud resources that you’ll find below).
However, cybersecurity insights and strategies evolve so quickly that there’s always something new you might miss if you weren’t looking.
For example, National Institute of Standards and Technology?(NIST) updated their recommendations on passwords last month to help people keep up with the latest threats. Their new guidelines include:
·?Replacing complex passphrases with longer passphrases (up to 64 characters when possible).
·?Abandoning routine passwords resets, only replacing them when there’s suspicion of compromise.
Passwords are only part of the picture, especially since social engineering is becoming one of the most pervasive cyber threats. As many as 90% of cyberthreats involve some type of social engineering .
In the transportation and logistics sector , that is manifesting as bad actors using legitimate yet compromised email accounts to spread malware. Healthcare companies like Atrium Health have dealt with phishing attacks that infiltrated and coopted their systems. Every industry has its story and only maintaining vigilant end user security strategies can combat the threat.
Even how you innovate makes a difference. Surveys conducted by the US National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) show that 38% of employees share confidential or proprietary information with AI platforms. If those platforms are compromised, your data can be exfiltrated and sold to the highest bidder. Even if they stay safe, they can use your trade secrets as fodder for future GenAI answers.?
The lesson here? Approach every digital action and interaction with caution. Whether we’re responding to emails or implementing new technologies, everyone needs to think about the possible threats and act like they have skin in the game.
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Because we all do.
Recommended Reads
Your Cybersecurity Isn’t Enough Without End User Security. Here’s How to Encourage It.
Money alone can’t make data breaches go away. Otherwise, breaches with AT&T, Ticketmaster, Dell, and other enterprises wouldn’t have happened. In addition to a heavily fortified system, organizations need to encourage their team to take end user security seriously. If you’re looking for some tips on how to prevent cyber threats from succeeding, check out our blog!
Will Decentralized Identity Management Streamline Costs and Reduce Fraud?
Fraud is another facet of cybercrime that isn’t going away anytime soon. All the data compromised in the endless string of breaches gives fraudsters the fodder they need to commit insurance fraud. Fortunately, implementing decentralized identity management has the potential to boost fraud detection and minimize the success of this criminal tactic.
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