Small businesses are especially vulnerable to data theft.
by Rich Shields
In today's society, it is imperative to stay up-to-date with all the latest technology changes and buzzwords, e.g., cloud, managed services, BYOD, bandwidth, security, etc. However, what can we do to ensure we are secure as businesses, consumers and individuals?
Phishing and online scams have been in existence for many years, and things are only becoming more cleverly disguised and deviously executed when it comes to hacking and identity theft. So much so that even the likes of Burger King, Jeep, USA Today and, perhaps most notably, Twitter have experienced these unforeseen exposures of being hacked. With organizations such as these being susceptible to the “hack attack,” what security measures must we practice as businesses, consumers and individuals to sequester ourselves from the same grim hacking consequence?
One of the most logical steps to avoid falling into this conundrum is to continually safeguard all your work. Consider online transactions. It is simple rule of thumb to use a credit card and not a debit card. The difference is that your credit cards hold a maximum transaction balance, and no indirect threat is then associated with your bank account. Your debit card is a direct link to your financial oasis, better known as your routing or ACH (Automated Clearing House). And if you're not particularly careful, your debit card could lead a potential hacker directly to your account to not only clear your bank account, but also further compromise your identity.
Another way to safeguard yourself from a “hack attack” is to be proactive about destroying receipts, hard-copied bank account statements or any paper documents that hold any personal information containing your identity. All hard-copied information comes from an electronic source in some form or fashion.
It is imperative to shred, destroy all paper documentation so it cannot be retrieved by anyone who is looking to compromise your identity by delving into compromised password settings.
Stolen data through computer hacking–including compromised credit and debit numbers and Social Security numbers–will end up on a network of illegal trading sites, where hackers will openly sell your personal data for profit.
Most of this stolen data is linked to networks of illegal trading sites. A typical “hack attack” transaction on one of these networking sites would result in some of the following:
* Stolen credit card numbers and other personal information are posted for sale either as used or in a joint venture.
* Within a joint venture, the goods are sold to a specific “drop-off” location, where goods are sold and proceeds split between the hacking members.
* Hacking “dummy” runs are often tested to ensure the numbers stolen are legitimate and both the sellers as well as the stolen cards are authentic.
Small-business computer systems are the most vulnerable to “hack attacks” because they offer the easiest and most unguarded access to customer credit cards and employee payroll files. Most small businesses do not keep access logs, so it is conceivable if the information is stolen, they probably will not even know it.
Quick steps to minimize hacking
* Make sure all PCs you are using have the latest antivirus and a good firewall for protection.
* Be cognizant about the websites you are visiting and what you download.
* Inspect suspicious emails that may be linked to phishing scams.
* Keep up-to-date on anti-spyware solutions and patches for your browser.
Rich Shields is the business development manager at Chester Inc. If you would like to learn more about how to ensure your network is safeguarded against a potential “hack attack,” please feel free to contact him at rshields@chesterinc.com.
