Know Your Digital Vulnerabilities to Keep Your Enterprise Safe

In the real world, thieves don’t knock at the front door. We know that they use a variety of tactics and disguises to infiltrate spaces. The same reality is true in the digital world. Hackers and cyber criminals are masters at using disguises and clever techniques to infiltrate network systems. They are also skilled at using manipulation to extract information that can be used to hack into a system without raising serious red flags the way more straightforward hacking attempts would. Data breaches caused by hackers are dangerous because they expose sensitive and confidential company, client, and/or personal information.

Security concept with padlock icon on digital screen

Vulnerable Industries

The hospitality industry is just one example of a sector that requires serious digital vigilance. It was revealed that the data hygiene standards at Omni Hotels were not at the level they should have been when a point-of-sale malware attack left payment details of the company’s clients exposed. Healthcare is another of the hottest sectors when it comes to the value of stolen data. A breach that happened at Anthem in 2015 left the records of an astonishing 80 million customers exposed. These attacks make it clear to see that good governance is essential when it comes to safeguarding data. Besides hospitality and healthcare, many other industries handling client financial information are great targets that yield valuable information for hackers. The value of this data makes it worth a greater effort to hack. It is more important than ever for businesses of all sizes to take a three-pointed approach to network security. This approach should include employee education and training, hack-determent features, and breach detection capabilities.

Vulnerabilities From Within

What if someone told you that your enterprise’s greatest asset is also its greatest weakness when it comes to IT security? It is true that employees can make or break a network’s security protocol. Many high-profile enterprises have been trapped in the crosshairs of hackers because of improper employee activity and mishandling of sensitive information. Many companies are surprised to discover that the mishandling of information by employees and relaxed digital security policies actually played major roles in allowing hackers to breach what were thought to be sophisticated and comprehensive systems. Many hackers use a tactic called social engineering to prompt employees to reveal sensitive security information. Social engineering tactics include things like phishing emails that contain links to viruses or spoof messages requesting transfers of funds from high-level executives. Employees should be advised on proper security protocols, such as how to handle suspicious emails, phone calls, or unknown personnel. They should also be trained on how to create strong passwords and avoid situations that create vulnerabilities within a network.

What Can You Do?

Most high-profile companies and organizations are now turning to network penetration testing companies to discover weak points in their security before the bad guys do. Penetration testing is unlike any other form of IT security because it essentially places a network under a stress test using real-time hacking attempts. A professional team focuses on exploiting network firewalls, servers, DNS, DMZ, hardware and many more elements, including social engineering exploits. The results of a penetration test can give an enterprise a true picture of their security posture. Keeping security optimized is the best way to prevent a breach and any ramifications from troubling the livelihood of a business and the trust of its clients.

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