Insider threats: Not as uncommon as you think

Insider threats: Not as uncommon as you think

When we speak of cybercrime and data theft, we typically think of seasoned cybercriminals. But you’d be surprised to know that the cause of businesses becoming victims of cybercrime is most often their own employees--sometimes on purpose, sometimes inadvertently. Remember Bob from accounting who was let go? Or the new intern who worked for 3 days and never showed up? Yep! They could engage in cybercrime activities to ‘get back at you’. Many businesses have been victims of cyberattacks brought on by disgruntled employees, both current and ex.

No matter who attacks you virtually, whether it is a seasoned cybercriminal or an employee who is simply upset with the kind of coffee your office coffee machine makes, becoming a victim of cybercrime causes you a lot of damage. For starters it erodes the trust your customers have in your brand, it affects your brand negatively. If your data is held ransom, you have no choice, but to pay up the demanded amount of money, there may be legal/regulatory penalties to pay as well and then there are chances of lawsuits that you will have to settle. And, remember, your business won’t be running as usual during this time, resulting in a direct revenue loss as well. So, how do you prevent such internal threats? Here are a few tips.

  1. The first step is to recognize that your own staff can be a threat. Adopt a trust, but verify, approach and take the necessary steps in line with that attitude.
  2. Educate your staff about the dangers lurking online. This will prevent cases where your staff are inadvertently party to the crime. Sharing OTPs, passwords, use of unsecured Wifi networks, leaving devices unsecured, visiting suspicious sites, clicking on phishing links, opening dubious attachments, etc., are all examples of your employees accidentally opening the doors for a cybercriminal.
  3. Conduct sessions on corporate ethics, reinforcing what’s acceptable and what’s not. Also brief your staff on the consequences of unethical virtual behavior such as data theft, hacking or wilful compromise of your network and data security.
  4. Perform surprise audits to check if your IT policies are being adhered to. Take actions against staff found flouting the rules.
  5. Invest in cybersecurity systems such as firewalls, network monitoring tools that identify and alert you on abnormal IT activities, powerful anti-malware programs, role/permission based access management mechanisms.
An MSP specializing in cyber security will be able to help you build a secure IT environment that takes into account all of these and more, so you don’t have to worry about threats to your data.


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

So, what, exactly, is Malware?

Image
So, what, exactly, is Malware? Listen to the news? Read the internet? You know cyber crime is a very big business. Hackers and criminals are out there doing all sorts of nefarious things. Most generally, you hear that malware is some kind of virus that attacks your software programs, infects your hardware, and bungles up your network. But there are many different types of malware, just as there are many types of criminals–each with their own MO and bad intentions. In this e-guide, we will run through some of the major categories of malware, and then suggest 7 different ways you can work to protect your business from malware. Malware defined - Malware is a generic term that covers all manner of software that is designed to attack your devices, applications, programs, and networks. It is software that has bad intentions. Malicious + Software= Malware. Hackers and criminals create malware for an array of reasons. Some may create it just to attack massive amounts of machines just to show t...
Read more

Infection protection: Nine steps to start protecting your company today

Image
Infection protection: Nine steps to start protecting your company today Malware is a generic term that covers all manner of software that is designed to attack your devices, applications, programs, and networks. It is software that has bad intentions. Yes, stealing. Either by directly pulling money out of accounts, or improperly acquiring data that ultimately provides access to funds. Example: Stealing your SSN and setting up a credit card to use that info, or convincing you to provide the password to your checking account. Others will snatch your organization's data and hold it for ransom. As usual, it is all about money. What can you do? Nine steps to avoid malware 1) Don’t go it alone - As a small- to medium-sized business, you have limited resources, all of which need to be focussed on running the business and planning for the future. That makes it difficult to direct an IT operation that has the depth to address all of the security issues you face. For example, a business owne...
Read more

Thing to do this week to start protecting your customer data

Image
Thing to do this week to start protecting your customer data You have client or customer data in your possession. It is part of running your business in a digital marketplace. If that data is breached, it could permanently damage your reputation. We talked in an earlier blog about types of malware. There are many steps that you can take to protect your systems and data. Here are a few suggestions to protect your business from malware. Consider a Managed Service Provider - Cybercriminals are very sophisticated and every day are releasing new, cutting-edge tools to attack businesses and individuals. Small- and medium-sized businesses do not have the resources to staff an IT department sufficiently to be aware of all the newest tools and technologies needed to protect a business. For example, a business owner cannot possibly keep up with the changes and details of tax laws. Doing it themselves, they would likely overlook important tax advantages or inadvertently break some IRS rule. As ...
Read more