As hackers continue to develop new approaches of attack, companies are finding it increasingly difficult to fully safeguard themselves against cyber crime. A security consultant recently conceded that everything is hackable, and companies should prepare themselves for the effects of a hack rather than focusing on preventing one. To better understand this, one simply needs to review the data trends of previous years and the same alarming conclusion becomes clear. Hackers are gaining a significant edge in the battle between cyber criminals and organizations.
How Companies Can Stop Cyber Crime
Although the odds are stacked against them, companies must strive to protect themselves against a cyber crime hack. At the very least, companies should perform regular audits, vulnerability, and penetration testing. Internal to the organization, a company should immediately update to the latest available network patches and ensure all employees and third-parties are trained in security awareness, policies, and procedures. A wise consultant once stated, “There’s no patch for human stupidity” which underscores that all workers must be fully trained to ensure the most secure environment.
When Cyber Crime Becomes A Reality
Companies must also prepare for the worst. In the event of a hack, a company’s immediate response can determine the full impact of the breach. Often times, companies lack policies, procedures, and a disaster recovery plan that would enable a competent and efficient response during and immediately after a breach. Companies who have this documentation most often have not reviewed them for effectiveness. The most effective policies and procedures must answer specific questions like: “How quickly will we know we’ve been hacked?” and “How quickly can we stop the leak of information?”
Data trends show that cyber crime is inevitable, reminding us that achieving a 100% secure environment is not realistic. Although companies cannot expect their environment to be hacker-proof, companies can regularly test their systems for vulnerabilities as well as ensure effective procedures and plans are in place to minimize the effects of a breach should one occur. Cyber crime has certainly increased, but companies can flatten this trend by exercising vigilance in prevention and recovery planning.
