Considering the state of cybersecurity threats these days, many yearn for a simpler time when IP spoofing was the biggest identity theft concern people had in regards to the Internet.
A roundup of the most publicized computer security blunders of 2012 on CIO.com reminds us that securing today’s business environment is about more than just a good antivirus software and a strong password. With government-backed malware spreading to corporate computers, cloud security failures putting client information at risk, and digital hacks facilitating real-world break-ins, there’s no shortage of computer-based threats to stress us out for the year ahead.
Reviewing last year’s security mishaps is a good way to consider your firm’s security considerations for the year ahead. Much of the time, user training lies at the center of preventing a hacker’s misdeeds from doing damage to an organization. Whether it’s a clueless employee that gets suckered into clicking on a link in a spam e-mail message or a disgruntled worker that’s looking to steal confidential information on a USB stick, the human element is often the overlooked one when it comes to IT security.
Related Stories
– Federal department loses data on 5,000 people
– The worst security snafus of 2012 – so far
– Cyber-security predictions for 2013
…
In 2012, there were several examples of human mistakes leading to digital crime. South Carloninan government workers could have prevented the social security numbers of 3.6 million citizens from being swiped by hackers by following encryption standards. Wired magazine writer Mat Honan learned the folley of sharing passwords and security questions across multiple accounts when hackers nabbed his Amazon account, deleted his Google account, wiped his Apple devices, and hi-jacked his Twitter account.
Train your employees on what digital security practices are taken and why they’re taken. It’s important they understand a policy if they’re going to be expected to follow it.