If “you” fail to maintain security on your computer and protect your data from being stolen or corrupted by others. No one could ever use it after you are gone. It would become useless. You are now effectively in the same situation as a computer administrator for a company or a government agency. It would help if you protected your computer(s) from attacks coming from hackers or other threats, both physical and digital.
Why information technology security is so important
Information technology security is becoming more and more important in our world today as information becomes more condensed, with many people having access to the same amount of information. Hence, the risk for hacking and breaches rises. Here are five reasons why it becomes necessary for companies to have a sufficient understanding of information technology security.
1. The growth of Cloud Computing
Data centers are home to data created by millions of people, including their files such as their photos or online banking records.
2. The rapid expansion in mobile
Mobile devices are becoming increasingly prevalent; this means that both employers and employees need to be aware of how they must protect themselves while accessing company data on a device they don’t own or control.
3. The need for companies to understand privacy laws
Companies must be aware of their responsibilities regarding protecting their clients’ and employees’ privacy.
4. The rise in breaches
As more data is being stored digitally, the risk of it being compromised by hackers increases.
5. The dangers associated with outdated software
Software updates must be completed to ensure that security flaws are eliminated. Companies need to have a good understanding of how these issues relate to them; they must understand what they are responsible for and what they can do to resolve these issues.
Both companies and employees need to work on securing their information technology systems. A company should not rely on just one technology provider to guard its secure data. This is because there is a high risk that another provider could steal the information, thus leaving the company open to lawsuits if the data were stolen.
What is a data breach?
A data breach is an unlawful and unauthorized intrusion, acquisition, or access of computer data (such as names, addresses, Social Security numbers, and bank account information) belonging to customers or employees of a company whose computer system is a network of computers.
If you have experienced identity theft in the past few years or have family members who have been the victim of it, you know that there are many ways people can be scammed by using stolen personal information. When this happens, a data breach has taken place.
What steps should I take if my personal information has been compromised?
There are specific steps that every person who experiences personal information compromise should take to protect themselves from future damage from identity theft.
Some of these steps are:
1. Educate yourself about the nature of identity theft
Understanding the methods used by identity thieves and how to protect your personal information is the first step to protecting yourself.
2. Educate yourself about what constitutes a data breach
The term “data breach” can vary from industry to industry, but there are several steps one should follow when determining whether a data breach has taken place.
3. Know how you were affected during the time your personal information was compromised
You should know if you were notified of the data breach, what degree of damage was incurred and when your account was compromised.
4. Never ignore notification of an account breach
If you are notified that your personal information has been compromised in a data breach, you must take action. Ignoring notifications of a data breach could lead to identity theft.
5. Check Your credit report regularly
Credit reports and scores are used as safeguarding devices to protect consumers from identity theft and credit fraud. It is suggested consumers check these reports and scores regularly to protect themselves against identity thieves. The three major credit reporting agencies are Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.
Cyber security, List common types of attacks you can expect
It doesn’t matter how big your company is, cyberattacks are a common threat to many organizations.
The following is a list of typical types of cyber attacks that you may be exposed to, or that may occur in your organization.
1. Social engineering
Malicious software is designed to trick users into disclosing access credentials or opening malicious attachments or links. A social engineer’s role is to trick users into performing these actions. Social engineers use creativity and persuasion to deceive their victims.
2. Hacking
Malicious software or viruses, worms, Trojan horses, or spyware can render computer systems inoperable by gaining access through vulnerabilities, such as a weak password or an unpatched operating system.
3. Denial-of-service
A denial-of-service attack (DoS) attempts to prevent an entity from performing its work by obstructing it from the Internet. Not all DoS attacks are conducted to gain illegal access or steal data. DoS attacks can also be used to protest content providers, either in support of or against their cause.
4. Distributed denial-of-service
A distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack attempts to make an online service unavailable by overwhelming it with traffic from multiple sources. This type of attack involves multiple connections from a wide range of IP addresses and often uses form submissions instead of simple HTTP requests.
Why you can be sued by clients/customers for not having proper security set up
Many companies do not take the proper precautions and risk losing business by being vulnerable to clients/customers. Here are a few reasons why you can be sued by clients/customers for not implementing proper security measures:
1. Delayed or Ineffective Response or Information
As with any business, if you don’t respond to your clients on time, they could sue you for not getting back to them on time. Even providing adequate service could lead to problems if a client/customer feels that their issues weren’t addressed properly or are being brushed off by employees.
2. Lack of Privacy
Privacy is one of the most significant factors for clients feeling comfortable and safe about using their services or products. Providing proper privacy and safety for clients will help decrease the number of lawsuits against your company.
3. Theft or Destruction of Data and Data Privacy
If your clients or customers have their private information stolen and shared across the Internet, you will be held responsible for giving out information that is not yours.
4. Force the Client to Pay to Use Your Services
This could mean that they will not pay their bill and be forced into default. This could also cause unforeseen costs and expenses that would result from having to pay for unavailable services.
Things that can help stop a data breach
Security breaches are pertinent in today’s world as our digital and online activity becomes more and more essential to the functioning of our daily lives. The risks are well-known, but there are ways that you can not only prevent your data from being leaked but can benefit from the protection against these cyber threats. Here are some tips on how to stop a data breach…
1. Having an in a house or outsourced security resource
It is always useful to have a security resource in-house. This could be one of many different roles, such as security engineer or chief information officer. With someone championing your company’s security, you will have the upper hand against attackers who try to breach your systems. Otherwise, outsourcing your IT security to a managed IT service provider, like MyTek for example, is an affordable option.
2. Proper site security software
You should have a dedicated security resource that knows about all the software running on your network. You should also ensure that this person knows how to use the software and can review logs, find vulnerabilities, and follow up if something does not seem right.
3. Encryption
Encryption is a very effective way to secure data. It is almost always a requirement when sensitive information is being transmitted digitally, but not everyone knows how to install it and maintain it properly.
4. Having the right transactional software if you have online transactions
This is probably the most important because the Internet is where most of our attacks come from. Having a secure transactional software program in place will protect you from all forms of attacks, but if it is not being properly maintained, it can leave your data more vulnerable.
