In its report, the GTISC outlines the top cyber security areas where threats are expected to increase and evolve in the next 12 months. At the top of the list is malware (a program or file that is designed to specifically damage or disrupt a system); followed by botnets (networks of “zombie†computers controlled by a single entity); and cyber warfare (including targets on the U.S. economy and infrastructure).
The bad news is that these cyber threats can hit companies of all sizes that do business online, whether they’re selling products and services, purchasing raw goods, banking on the Web, or all of the above. The good news is that there are steps that companies can take to ward off and/or minimize the damage inflicted by online crooks:
Evaluate Your Vulnerabilities
No matter how big or small your company is, know that there are indeed risks to doing business online. While a small accounting firm may not possess a huge database of customer credit card numbers, be assured that its IT system contains something of value to hackers. “Figure out what you need to protect,†advises Michelle Drolet, CEO at Towerwall, a Framingham, Mass.-based security consultancy. Key areas to consider include intellectual property, employee data and company financials — all of which could be of value to cyber-crooks looking to make money online.
Establish Best Practices
Once you’ve figured out what would be of most value
Make Security a Priority
Yes, we know you have a 100 other things on your to-do list, but
Put Someone in Charge
Smaller firms tend to spread responsibility for IT security around the entire organization, but Hurst says a better approach is to put someone in charge of the initiative. To create an even stronger fortress, he advises firms to assign a backup person to handle the initiative, just in
Be Vigilant About Security
It’s not enough to just install a firewall and hope for the best anymore. Today’s sophisticated criminals can sniff out vulnerabilities like bloodhounds. “What’s safe today could turn into a target tomorrow,†says Drolet, who cautions firms against resting on their security laurels — even those that haven’t felt the impact of a security threat. “It’s all about vigilance in today’s IT environment, since you never really know where the next threat is going to come from.â€
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