Cybersecurity and C-Level Execs: Protecting Data While On the Go
March 26th, 2018 by admin
While all employees need to be mindful of security, the nature of C-level executives makes them more attractive targets for hackers. That means it's necessary for them to take greater precautions.
According to TechRepublic, C-level executives are more vulnerable than other employees because of the mobile tendencies of their work, and they are higher-value targets because of their access to confidential information. Hackers often use lower-level employees as a way to work up to C-level executives to get the information they're looking for.
Because of their vulnerabilities and target value, C-level executives need to adhere to the strictest security practices.
Internet Access Security Risks
Hackers can do a lot of damage with little effort if executives connect their devices to unsecured networks. C-level executives tend to travel frequently, which can expose their devices to vulnerable Wi-Fi networks. Coffee shops, airports, hotels, and exhibition centers are among the largest and most vulnerable network threat locations — and all are places executives tend to frequent. Executives may be working on unsecured Wi-Fi or even worse: hacker-implemented Wi-Fi masquerading as a legitimate access point.
Your company's best defense against vulnerable public and private networks is to avoid the "penny wise and dollar foolish" mindset: Pay for an unlimited mobile data plan with tethering support for your executives. Using mobile 4G internet on the go eliminates the risks of using out-of-office networks, and tethering support will allow C-level executives to connect their devices that don't have built-in 4G mobile network access. Your company can also invest in network tunneling, VPNs and other security measures.
Executive Data Access Is an Attractive Target
Consider this hypothetical example: Bob from H.R. has access to everyone's Social Security numbers, while Janet from accounting has access to the company's financial records. But Sam the CEO has access to all that information and more. Because of this, hackers view executives as the biggest fish in the sea, and they will target executives over all other potential targets. This is an even bigger problem on outside networks than within the office network because executives don't have all the security technology that the office provides to protect them.
In addition to preventing the attack, it's also wise to limit the amount of data access an executive has on devices they use when traveling — especially for international travel.
Executives should use "burner" laptops/phones that only have the information they need for the trip in order to limit data exposure in the event of a hack. For example, don't store a payroll spreadsheet containing every employee's Social Security number on a travel laptop.
A stolen device is also an important risk to consider, so your business should always use encryption and secure passwords on executive devices used when traveling.
Email Is a Primary Attack Avenue
Email security needs to be a priority: It's everywhere, so it's irrational to think executives will only read and reply to emails in an office setting. C-level executives are primary targets in "whaling" attacks — high-value targeted email phishing scams. The main concern is man-in-the-middle attacks, where a hacker poses as a trusted individual in a conversation. Technology can only do so much to safeguard against whaling scams. Hackers may learn a great deal about a specific target and tailor their methods based on that information — unlike a standard phishing scam that involves throwing out a generic net to see who falls for it.
IT security is important at all levels, but lapses at the executive level can have disastrous results. The IT consulting experts at ATS can help your business implement strong security practices so your company can avoid catastrophic security breaches. Contact us today to learn more.
Posted in: Security