It reads like something from a thriller movie trailer and yet it’s the headline of a recent article in Reuters highlighting what many political and business leaders fear most:
“Destructive hacking attempts target critical infrastructure in Americas”
What’s so remarkable about the most recent hacking attempts in the US, is that the hackers are no longer trying to steal data, instead opting to try to shut down computer networks, delete files or control equipment.
So great is the concern about this, that it was the driver for a recent executive order and proposed legislation to encourage greater information-sharing about threats between the private sector and government.
And yet, in spite of all the growing threat to Cybersecurity, only one in three HR professionals report providing Cybersecurity training to staff.
Is your organization doing everything it can to protect itself?
We all remember the attacks on Home Depot, Target and most recently Sony but what value is your organization putting on public safety?
The lack of funding and a compelling government approach means that we all face the prospect of our resources being diverted and our safety being compromised.
Whilst organizations invest in IT security infrastructure, many of them fail to recognize the gap in their armor, the end user. In recent research compiled here at CompTIA we found that of the organizations polled, 67% do not provide or require any form of Cybersecurity training. For those that do provide training, 57% is done internally with internal materials.
Employees may not realize it but more than often they are the target for the hackers which exposes the organization they work for to tremendous risk. Their computers, laptops, mobile devices and their accounts all have value to the potential hacker. They gain the trust of the user by what is termed Social Engineering, or the art of human manipulation: They pretend to be someone the user knows.
Cybersecurity training for the user is a critical tool in protecting an organization’s most important asset, its data and infrastructure. Training employees to identify and avoid potential risks and make good judgments online is vital to ensure we all stay safe and our networks are hacker free.
More than a defensive measure, organizations must understand that establishing and maintaining cybersecurity will better position their organization with business partners, customers, investors, and other stakeholders.
Furthermore, with the normalization of mobility, cloud and social media within most organizations, being cyber secure enables growth without the constant fear of hacking.
With strong leadership and a comprehensive approach that continually links information security back to business strategy, business leaders will better position their organizations for success.
Cybersecurity MUST be the new business priority.
Copyright 2015 John McGlinchey. All Rights Reserved