3 Common Misconceptions Surrounding IT Security
June 21st 2016
Cyberattacks are making headlines daily across the world. With these attacks come several misconceptions and exaggerations about threats facing businesses and the technologies to combat those threats. I decided I would use this post to pick apart three of the biggest computer security misconceptions circulating today.
Misconception 1: “It won’t ever happen to me”
This is a fundamental example of wishful thinking. Organisations are often aware of potential issues with their IT security but use the adage “it won’t happen to me” to justify not doing something about it. Below is a selection of companies with losses of over 30,000 records in the last three years.
These breaches were caused for a number of reasons including being accidentally published, hacked, inside job, leak, lost / stolen computer, lost / stolen media and poor security. These breaches also weren’t across just one or two industries but over twenty.
Misconception 2: “Only massive organisations get targeted”
While the breaches described in the above paragraph point to only large organisations getting targeted, this is not the case. A structural weakness at the heart of SMEs globally is identified as a potential threat which could also affect bigger businesses that do business with SMEs.
Closer to home, the Irish Small and Medium Enterprises Association produces a crime survey of its members each year. Last year, 79 per cent of companies who answered said they had been targeted by computer-related criminal activity
Some 51 per cent said their business had fallen victim to a “virus infection”; 51 per cent to “hacking or electronic intrusion”; and 20 per cent to credit card fraud.
Michael Gubbins, head of the Computer Crime Investigations Unit at the Garda Bureau of Fraud Investigation said that many SME’s are unaware of the dangers of online crime.
"Companies have a responsibility to mind customers’ information and to protect their business but while some are taking adequate precautions, there are others who aren’t doing enough”
One example of where SME’s are being targeted by Hackers is through Ransomware. According to security experts, this type of cyber-attack is now "rampant" in Ireland.
Misconception 3: “A password is protection enough”
These days, a password is a very weak barrier between a hacker and your private data.
It won’t make a massive difference if your password is five characters or 50. As a singular form of authentication, a password is decidedly weak. This point was proven only recently when it was found out that login credentials for as many as 117 million LinkedIn accounts were put up for sale online.
Passwords can be compromised for a number of reasons:
• Personal: this is generally someone that you know e.g. an ex that has a grudge against you or an intrusive spouse;
• Brute-force attack: this occurs when a hacker systematically checks all possible passwords until the correct one is found;
• Data Breach: Data breaches have been a regular feature in the news lately, mainly due to a number of high profile hacks that have taken place. These have resulted in millions of people’s account information being compromised.
It's vital to establish multiple layers of access to any of your devices or accounts. Only recently it was found out that login credentials for as many as 117 million LinkedIn accounts were put up for sale online.
If you are a business owner or an IT administrator concerned about the security of your IT networks, please contact us at info@itforce.ie or 01 5546000 for more info.