Last week’s news of Anthem’s data breach, which compromised the social security numbers of over 80 million people, has many business owners wondering if and how they can protect their own company data from hackers. Since the breach occurred after hackers accessed the credentials of at least five employees, it’s clear that there are some lessons to be learned from the attack.
1. Educate yourself and your employees about phishing. Many people believe they are too smart to fall for phishing schemes, but hackers continue to use them because they work. Phishing efforts have become much more sophisticated than in the past, with fewer grammatical errors, a look and feel that’s closer to that of the brand they’re imitating, and often, the inclusion of the user’s name.
2. Avoid naming the software your company uses on your website and on job postings. Hackers have only to scan your own marketing materials to find information they can use against you. Caution employees about the risks of listing software names in LinkedIn profiles and of talking about how your company uses applications in online forums like community help desks.
3. Realize that everyone with credentials is vulnerable, not just the company owner and IT team. Those with the highest access levels might be targeted first in a large company, but in smaller organizations with fewer employees, it’s just as easy for hackers to try to lure everyone until someone gets taken in by the scam.
For a free consultation about workplace cybersecurity training, call 888-825-2987 or contact us.