The Impact of Cyber Crimes Outside the Office Environment

Repeatedly we hear about the concerns around cyber threats and the significant risks they pose, almost to the point that it becomes noise, until it hits home and then we can’t read enough.

 “The only defense is a proactive cyber security resilience plan that addresses the risk and continual education programs to reinforce the basic steps toward continual vigilance.” 

That sounds so intuitive yet that advise is rarely followed within an organization let alone in a home environment.   To devise the best cyber security resilience plan you almost must think like a hacker.  I want to breach a company’s data.  What are a few vulnerabilities I can exploit.   One potential easy target may include hacking employees, Board members, or vendors personal accounts through their home networks, which are extremely easy to hack. 

Board members are strategic because they generally are involved with multiple companies, have large homes with a lot of smart technologies that have significant vulnerabilities, and their passwords are less secure, or not changed regularly across all their smart devices.

Hackers are also very capable of reaching beyond an employee or Board member to family member information by leveraging a variety of tools, social media or buying the information direction through a data broker.

In a study conducted last year by Corporate Compliance Insights, they found that 95% of Board members and executives (out of the 1,000 analysed) had confidential personal and family information for sale online. These same sites also sell the person’s contact information, including phone, email and social media, making it easy for a hacker to target them.

All it takes is one hijacked messaging account from a spouse or child to trick a Board member into clicking on a link or sharing information that can lead to a serious breach.

Cybercriminals and state-sponsored attackers exploit these vulnerabilities, leading to financial losses, societal instability, and national security risks.  If basic tactics like phishing, scams and ransomware continue to work, bad actors will exploit those tools.   And they will only become more sophisticated with AI tools and other tactics.  The only defense is a proactive cyber security resilience plan that addresses the risk, and an ongoing education program to reinforce the basic steps toward continual vigilance. 

Cyber Knowledge Partners specializes in creating a Cyber Security resilience plan and working with CEOs and Boards to operationalize a continual cadence for risk monitoring.  Contact us today to schedule a meeting to discuss your requirements.