Page 26 - Cyber Warnings

Cyber Security Fears of Today and Tomorrow

“The future depends on what you do today.” ― Mahatma Gandhi

by Sasha Kranjac

Cyber Security Fear of Today

I trust respected cloud vendors. After all, why shouldn’t I? They spend billions on security every
year to keep your emails and pictures safe, to keep you loyal and smiling. Oh, and you give
them money for that, of course. Have you ever seen how an Amazon or Microsoft datacentre is
secured? You could not go in there even with a tank. Your local police office, on the other hand,
does not have billions to spend on security and you would not need a tank to go in there. They
don’t have your emails or summer vacation pictures, but have access to other things, like social
security numbers, passports and all additional juicy data.

Why would you entrust your data to police and would not to cloud vendors? The biggest
problem is not the cloud or some other type of “permanent” storage. The problem lies where the
data is used and stored “temporarily”, like mobile devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops).
Mobile devices are part of our lives now and not going away any soon. The business-personal
edge in mobiles is blurry and slowly fading away. More than 85% of employees use their own
smartphones at work while more than 65% of employees use company devices for their
personal matters. Accordingly, mobile-related Cyber Crime will continue to rise, becoming a
serious risk for users and businesses. Weak and unsecure mobile access, device theft or loss
and mobile malware are just some of the risks and a flip side of mobile devices’ obvious
benefits.

Another serious threat that will grow exponentially are Cyber-Extortionists or Ransomware. The
biggest danger is in the evolving variants of ransomware not yet known, soon-to-be or just
written and evidently undetectable. Do not be afraid of paying and losing a couple of thousands
– be very afraid of not getting your crucial business data back even if you pay. A living, evolving,
comprehensive, Cyber Security Business Policy should include a mandatory mobile device
management solution and a proper backup solution. Protecting your business resources with
multi-factor authentication and rights management solutions might save you from additional
headaches. After you have written the Policy, do not let it rest on paper. Make it alive and
implement the solutions that will protect and save your data and business. Do not forget that
everything is connected: a single device problem can become a company problem in a matter of
seconds. However, beware; the real threat is not where you might expect. All Cyber
Crime/Security accidents have one common denominator – people.

Cyber Security Fear of Tomorrow

Businesses of all shapes and sizes have always been attractive to cyber crooks - that’s where
the money is, right? Big companies have deep and huge pockets, a lot to steal from, making
them inviting as primary targets. The other side of medal shows big companies have big, fat
26 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine January 2017 Edition
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