From the desk of Charles Leaver Chief Executive Officer Ziften Technologies.
Given the current threat environment, one would think that all businesses would be taking ever possible step to defend their infrastructures. But unfortunately that's not always the case. In a piece for bobsguide, guest contributor Torgny Gunnarsson – who runs a data solutions company – pointed out that in an age when businesses are always looking to harness new technology, they're not always willing to implement the defensive measures such as stringent endpoint threat detection measures. The resulting problem is that while companies are pushing into new technological frontiers, they're also making themselves vulnerable to a whole host of virtual risks, including ransomware, password breaches and major losses of data.
But while businesses may not initially realize the threat posed by virtual crime, once they're actually hit with an attack there will be no avoiding the consequences. In his piece, Gunnarsson points to the attacks on Adobe and Target as instances in which security shortcomings led to major monetary losses. In the former case, information for 38 million users was lost. As Data Breach Insurance points out, the cost alone of notifying those 38 million would be a hefty tab, to say nothing of all the other associated recovery expenditures. As for Target, according to Reuters the company paid more than $60 million last quarter stemming from its breach, and also dealt with a decline in business as a result of the incursion.
With such high-profile losses out there, wouldn't all companies be rushing to implement endpoint threat response measures and any other strategies to stave off cybercriminals? While this would seem logical, it unfortunately hasn't happened that way, since many enterprises simply choose to believe that they're somehow impervious to attack. Such short-sightedness is extremely risky in an age of constant malicious intrusions.
Taking steps to guard your business
The presence of cybercriminals attempting to breach every company door they can is certainly a daunting prospect. But just because hackers are out there in droves doesn't mean that your company needs to be the next victim. If you take certain precautionary steps, you can take significant strides toward keeping all the bad guys at bay. Here are some of those steps:
1. Put an endpoint threat detection system in place. This is the single most important step a company can take in defending itself against attack. By guarding enterprise endpoints, a business can rest assured knowing that unsavory elements won't creep into the organizational infrastructure undetected.
2. Educate all workers about the importance of cybersecurity. The IT team isn't the only group that should be kept abreast of security news. Since cyberattacks can come from anywhere – and target anyone – all workers need to understand the threat atmosphere and how to protect against it. By keeping workers informed about security issues, you'll ensure that employees practice the kind of safe computing that keeps criminals out.
3. Always keep an eye on security. The cybersecurity of your business is a top priority, so make sure you treat it like one. Address it at ever company meeting, be sure your endpoint protection software is up-to-date, and never get lazy about security.
Charles Leaver.
Given the current threat environment, one would think that all businesses would be taking ever possible step to defend their infrastructures. But unfortunately that's not always the case. In a piece for bobsguide, guest contributor Torgny Gunnarsson – who runs a data solutions company – pointed out that in an age when businesses are always looking to harness new technology, they're not always willing to implement the defensive measures such as stringent endpoint threat detection measures. The resulting problem is that while companies are pushing into new technological frontiers, they're also making themselves vulnerable to a whole host of virtual risks, including ransomware, password breaches and major losses of data.
But while businesses may not initially realize the threat posed by virtual crime, once they're actually hit with an attack there will be no avoiding the consequences. In his piece, Gunnarsson points to the attacks on Adobe and Target as instances in which security shortcomings led to major monetary losses. In the former case, information for 38 million users was lost. As Data Breach Insurance points out, the cost alone of notifying those 38 million would be a hefty tab, to say nothing of all the other associated recovery expenditures. As for Target, according to Reuters the company paid more than $60 million last quarter stemming from its breach, and also dealt with a decline in business as a result of the incursion.
With such high-profile losses out there, wouldn't all companies be rushing to implement endpoint threat response measures and any other strategies to stave off cybercriminals? While this would seem logical, it unfortunately hasn't happened that way, since many enterprises simply choose to believe that they're somehow impervious to attack. Such short-sightedness is extremely risky in an age of constant malicious intrusions.
Taking steps to guard your business
The presence of cybercriminals attempting to breach every company door they can is certainly a daunting prospect. But just because hackers are out there in droves doesn't mean that your company needs to be the next victim. If you take certain precautionary steps, you can take significant strides toward keeping all the bad guys at bay. Here are some of those steps:
1. Put an endpoint threat detection system in place. This is the single most important step a company can take in defending itself against attack. By guarding enterprise endpoints, a business can rest assured knowing that unsavory elements won't creep into the organizational infrastructure undetected.
2. Educate all workers about the importance of cybersecurity. The IT team isn't the only group that should be kept abreast of security news. Since cyberattacks can come from anywhere – and target anyone – all workers need to understand the threat atmosphere and how to protect against it. By keeping workers informed about security issues, you'll ensure that employees practice the kind of safe computing that keeps criminals out.
3. Always keep an eye on security. The cybersecurity of your business is a top priority, so make sure you treat it like one. Address it at ever company meeting, be sure your endpoint protection software is up-to-date, and never get lazy about security.
Charles Leaver.