When I hear of cyber attacks, I tend to think of (I know this is stereotyping, but ...) Korean military technicians trying to intercept classified information, or high school kids showing NASA that their computer systems aren't all they're cracked up to be.
But it seems cyber attacks are a reality for SMEs too, these days. I came across this during a few idle moments and thought this is something we should all be aware of:
Wonder if anyone else has noticed an increase in the past twelve months of contacts email addresses being hacked or perhaps cloned in some way. I will receive an email from an address I am familiar with, but the only content will be a link. Often, I'm not even expecting to hear from them, or it is someone with whom I no longer have any communications, so there is a slight consciousness before opening the email, that something fishy may be going on.
The numbers aren't overwhelming but this type of cyber attack seemed to be common around ten+ years ago. It also suggests to me that clients, friends and colleagues do not have all the internet security that they ought to have.
Simple to avoid.... don't click on the link and usually I will get round to telling the friend that I have received a spam email purporting to be from them.
Wonder if anyone else has noticed an increase in the past twelve months of contacts email addresses being hacked or perhaps cloned in some way. I will receive an email from an address I am familiar with, but the only content will be a link. Often, I'm not even expecting to hear from them, or it is someone with whom I no longer have any communications, so there is a slight consciousness before opening the email, that something fishy may be going on.
The numbers aren't overwhelming but this type of cyber attack seemed to be common around ten+ years ago. It also suggests to me that clients, friends and colleagues do not have all the internet security that they ought to have.
Simple to avoid.... don't click on the link and usually I will get round to telling the friend that I have received a spam email purporting to be from them.
Here's a cyber-theft story from my own experience.
A while ago, I worked for a company that had moved from a big city to a nearby town. It had been forced to down-size because its entire salesforce had left en masse, taking secretarial staff with them, and set up a rival company in nearby offices. Shortly afterwards, it was noticed that the company's clients were steadily leaving. The new company is still operating successfully; my employer no longer exists.
After the mass exodus, an IT expert was called in who examined the computer data movements, and found evidence that the sales team had systematically copied all of the company's client details onto CD Roms before they left.
These days, with memory sticks, it would be even easier to copy files and smuggle them out.
Employee data theft is a big issue and the first thing you are taught when working in IT security is that the biggest threat to a firms data is it's staff. If you want to gain access to a competitiors data then you could spend weeks/months hacking their security, or you could simply apply for a job with them and get handed access to their data on a plate.
Lots of the bigger firms have endpoint controls which limit how much data users can copy onto USB sticks etc and all copying is logged to try and stop this kind of thing.
-- Edited by Paul on Tuesday 21st of May 2013 09:49:29 AM
-- Edited by Paul on Tuesday 21st of May 2013 09:49:51 AM
Also, bigger firms disable the USB ports... A determined criminal would be able to get around that (I'm not a criminal and I could).
Combined also with multi layered security and active external email scanning things are more secure than people appreciate but the only system that cannot be stolen from is a system that cannot be copied or if it is copied cannot be read (or at least not understood).
In the world that I come from even if you had an Hex dump of the data you would not be able to understand the content without the related copybook that defines each field.
Also things like names and addresses are kept on different databases (names are constants, addresses change. One name may have multiple addresses, or none).
I think that when it comes to comparing larger businesses (not Government projects!) with those that we mosty deal with it is really a matter of chalk and cheese when it comes to security measures in place to stop data being pilferred.
kind regards,
Shaun.
Hi Shaun,
bigger firms are actually a bit smarter than that now and use controls for USB ports, so authorised devices can be used whilst everything else is blocked. As with everything these controls can be bypassed but does take some time and a high level of IT knowledge.
As you say the easiest way to control data is to stop users from being able to copy it, but most smaller firms don't even do the basics like ensuring proper security on their network to stop access to sensitive data to users who don't need it.
When I used to work in IT support the number of small firms where everyone was setup as an administrator was shocking, but was that way as it was easier than having to get someone to do the admin for security and accounts.
There are steps small firms can take to help with data security, like using free encryption software, but unless they actually want to invest the time/resource they will continue to lose data.
Paul
-- Edited by Paul on Tuesday 21st of May 2013 12:21:28 PM
Hi had an email about 2 weeks ago from an old colleague that I haven't had any contact with for 6 months. Well this old colleague has wife and 3 kids and normally holidays in UK. So when I got an email from him to say that he needed £1500 because they had been robbed whilst on holiday in the Phillipenes I became suspicious. Their robbery was being investigate by the police over there and they would have to wait 2 weeks, but their flights were due in the next couple of days, so they were asking for money to get home basically. Do they think we are stupid, I deleted the email and didn't bother as I know my colleague and he would not even ask for any money!
Also, bigger firms disable the USB ports... A determined criminal would be able to get around that (I'm not a criminal and I could).
Combined also with multi layered security and active external email scanning things are more secure than people appreciate but the only system that cannot be stolen from is a system that cannot be copied or if it is copied cannot be read (or at least not understood).
In the world that I come from even if you had an Hex dump of the data you would not be able to understand the content without the related copybook that defines each field.
Also things like names and addresses are kept on different databases (names are constants, addresses change. One name may have multiple addresses, or none).
I think that when it comes to comparing larger businesses (not Government projects!) with those that we mosty deal with it is really a matter of chalk and cheese when it comes to security measures in place to stop data being pilferred.
kind regards,
Shaun.
__________________
Shaun
Responses are not meant as a substitute for professional advice. Answers are intended as outline only the advice of a qualified professional with access to all relevant information should be sought before acting on any response given.
