Could You Survive a Cyber Attack?
Everyone wants to think that his or her answer to the question above would be “yes”.
For that to be true you have to take the time to put into place some well thought-out protective measures and practices. Otherwise, you are very likely to fall victim to cyber crime.
Do you terminate a persistent connection to the Internet when you get up and walk away from your computer? Do you lock your keyboard? These questions apply to the individual.
Different security processes come into play if you work on a company computer network. For example, “Do your company have an information security plan”? It’s a defensive blueprint and if you have one your company may have a chance.
You are ill-prepared to face the onslaught of what a malicious cyber criminal can send your way if you are without a means to confront and block the cyber security risks. You simply must take a series of well coordinated action to provide for the protection of your digital assets. Everyone in your organization must be aware of the threats you face and your efforts to provide for safety.
You must provide for your organization’s information assurance. Cyber crime is among the fastest growing illegal enterprises. It’s a low-risk and high payoff activity. The total loss of dollars exceeds that of the illegal drug trade.
Most individuals and law enforcement are unprepared to fend off sophisticated digital attacks from organized cyber criminals. Individuals and companies alike may even be unprepared to block damage from innocent mistakes made by legitimate users.
Owners of network infrastructure and computers must be aware of the risks that they face and take steps to provide for their own information assurance. The protection of PII (Personally Identifiable Information) and other confidential information must treat securing of the data as a “business process”. A business owner would fall short of providing adequate protection by simply installing an anti-virus software package. There’s a great deal more involved.
Some state’s now have laws that relate to how personally identifiable information is required to be handled. Florida, for example, has its own privacy act ( FS 501.171). Infrastructure owners who fail to comply may face fines and other regulatory action. The bad publicity alone that comes from a breach of sensitive customer information could cause a business to lose customers.
You have to be proactive to have a strong cyber security program. You must even be able to prove that you are taken reasonable steps (due diligence) to shield the private information you store. Otherwise, a host of negative consequences ranging from the inevitable loss of business to significant awards that result from losing lawsuits as a result of a breach. Why take the chance?
You can learn more about whether your organization can survive a cyber attack by downloading a free copy of the research report, “Can Your Organization Survive a Cyber Intrusion” at www.paladin-information-assurance.com. You’ll also find additional information that can help you fend off the threats and vulnerabilities you face.
Society has arrived to an inflection point with information security. Individuals who collect and hold private and confidential information are responsible for protecting it from being revealed or stolen. A lack of effort to safeguard private information is now evidence considered negligent. A business without an information assurance plan runs of extreme risk of being a victim of cybercrime and losing the business outright.
