It seems like every time we turn on the news we see another instance of a company being hacked online for their data. These occurrences are scary because hackers steal this information to gain control of our important financial data. When they have it, they try and steal money from us, open credit cards in our names and wreak havoc to our financial lives that may take a decade to fix.
There are billions spent on online security with companies like Exceptional Software Strategies, Inc. aimed at preventing these things from happening yet they rarely work. Why is this the case and is there anything that can be done to minimize or eliminate it from happening? The answer to both of these questions is complicated, but understanding more about the issue can certainly help us to be part of the solution rather than the problem.
Increasing Consumer Software used at the Company
Business IT is always built around increasing efficiency and effectiveness for the organization but not at the expense of security and safety. Companies had learned to take this approach and expect this to be how the software they used would be designed. However, there has been an evolution of information technology bringing in IT from the home consumer market. This trend has seriously affected how businesses procure and utilize software within their organizations.
Consumer directed software is focused more on performance with security being an add-on. Great examples of this are social networking software and private email. But present opportunities for hacking that companies cannot totally avoid. As this software has been adopted by businesses it has created holes in security. The result is that new pathways for hackers have been opened and are being exploited.
Employees Want Personal Software and Devices at Work
Today, employees expect to have access to consumer technology at work and companies in order to keep them happy, are allowing it to happen. At the forefront are the previously mentioned online places where people congregate called social networks which are hotbeds for hacker activity and also personal email which can go over unsecured lines to and from others and can easily have hacker phishing and other scams introduced.
Employees are also using their own personal hardware to do company work. This use of private smartphones, laptops and tablet computers that are often not secured creates security nightmares for companies and exponentially increases the opportunities for hackers to strike. Although companies set protocols for employees, policing them can be difficult when many of these devices used for work are also used by employee family members.
Previously companies were strict about which devices could interact with company servers and company IT departments would supply the devices, software, and platforms that any staff must use. They were strict about having absolute control over every aspect of their IT infrastructure, but this high level of security has severely lagged.
Because of today’s current business climate the amount of hacks will continue because the access points for hackers remains so high.
