Network security is something no one can take for granted these days. Not only are hackers becoming more sophisticated in their methods, they’re also becoming more sophisticated in how they use information once they access it. It’s not just about stealing credit card numbers, anymore. Eweek recently reported on five ways today’s hackers are pushing the envelope when it comes to wielding their power, and it’s worth taking notice.
Blackmail and extortion: The Sony breach showed us how awkward things can get when private communications become public. It’s a great setup for blackmail, especially if the victim is well known or has a lot to lose. Some hackers are digging up personal information on their victims and threatening to release it if their demands – usually money – aren’t met. A variation on this theme is extortion. Hackers use malware to lock people out of their own computers and demand money to let them back in.
The Internet of Things: It’s not just our computers and our phones that we have to worry about anymore. We now have all sorts of “things” connected to our networks: lighting, climate control, home security, etc. And very few of those things are secured. Determined hackers can find their way in and either use those devices to send out spam or use them as a gateway to the network of a home or office, providing access to all kinds of information.
Employee devices: Sophisticated hackers can use a single employee device to breach an entire company network. Now that almost everybody brings at least a personal cell phone to work, this is a growing risk for companies of all sizes.
Increasingly complex data: Credit card numbers are minor league. Sure, hackers can steal them, but they’re only good until the victim shuts down that account. Today’s hackers have access to much more personal information…information that can’t be easily changed. That includes personal contacts, medical information, shopping habits, and the like. All of that detailed information makes identity theft both easier and more effective.
Infrastructure: Our country’s infrastructure is complex and vulnerable, and both individual and state-sponsored hacktivists are taking advantage of that fact, sometimes to make a statement and sometimes to wreak havoc. One hacker can take down an entire electrical grid. Anything that depends on being connected is vulnerable: traffic control, air traffic control, subways, water filtration, and much more. This gives hacktivists the ability to make a huge impact with little effort.
Technology has changed our world, and I don’t think any of us want to go backwards. But all that connectivity also makes us vulnerable—as individuals, as businesses, and as a society. And it’s becoming more and more obvious that a single breach can have a widespread ripple effect. What if a hacker sold your company’s proprietary information to your biggest competitor? What about altering your company’s financial records to make it appear as if someone had committed fraud? The stakes are simply too high to make network security just another item on your to-do list. Whether you handle it internally or enlist the help of outside experts, your company’s security needs to be a top priority.
