When you run a sizable organization, whether it is a government institution, business enterprise or non-profit organization, the challenges are more or less the same. Most organizations have assets that they need for the organization to function efficiently; these could range from physical assets, like computers, printers, personnel, specialized equipment, buildings, and even intellectual property. A typical organization will take some reasonable steps to secure these assets, such as restricting access to buildings, installing security systems, hiring security guards, and physically securing assets under lock-and-key. They go to these lengths because the loss of these assets might impact the ability of the organization to achieve its main objectives, and that goes the same for intangible assets, such as information or intellectual property. Information is increasingly becoming an extremely valuable asset, even for organizations that are not necessarily in the business of data. Information generated by an organization, could range from personal details on customers, computer algorithms, a proprietary formula for a product, transactional information, etc. The protection of these assets is as important as any because the consequence of a loss of such information could result in the organization losing its competitive advantage; customers and the public might lose confidence in such an organization, and they may be liable to lawsuits.

There will always be those individuals and organizations that are involved in the theft of information for the purpose of profiting from the sale of that information or for the purpose of sabotaging the organization. These individuals are usually referred to as hackers. When the organization’s information is stolen, it constitutes a breach of confidentiality and most of the time, it is difficult to find out which party now possesses that information. In fact, many organizations that have had a security breach are never aware of it. Besides the confidentiality factor, we also have to be able to trust the information in our possession, to be certain that it has not been altered in a malicious manner, and to ensure the integrity of the data. Individuals who want to sabotage the organization can also alter records so that they are no longer accurate, and that can cause the organization to act in a manner that will jeopardize their operations and planning. Hackers are experts in a number of computer fields and are able to intercept communications by tapping into your organization’s computer network, either physically or remotely. Once they tap into the network, they are able to receive any information being exchanged through the network. They are also able to gain access to the organization’s servers or computers and plant other programs, called viruses, that will leave back-doors for them to access the system anytime. Viruses can also cause damage by slowing down the computer or rendering the machine inoperable, and just like biological viruses, computer viruses are able to spread to other computers and multiply through the organization’s network or other physical storage devices, like Flash Drives, CDs and DVDs.

The term “cyber” relates to anything to do with information technology and computers, and the subject of cyber security entails different interventions that are required to protect information technology and digital assets that can be affected by cybercrime. There are many factors to consider when coming up with a cyber security strategy, as there are many different ways that an organization’s information systems may be vulnerable. The organization may consider keeping their software up to date with the latest security and software patches as released by specific vendors because one way hackers can gain access is by exploiting outdated software. Hackers are quite aware that many organizations do not update their software and operating systems frequently enough. Hackers can also indirectly attack your organization through third parties. By exploiting a supplier’s system, hackers may be able to gain information about your organization or gain access to your internal system if it is linked with your supplier’s and associate organizations’. The human element is also an important factor to consider because you may have the best threat detection and prevention system against cyber-attacks, but the employees also need to be educated about cyber security, so that they use best practice when it comes to handling data, bringing their own devices to work, connecting external storage media onto their workstations, or choosing strong passwords. Policies also need to be in place, detailing how to handle organizational computer assets and information, and to ensure that personnel are aware of the best practices. The organization can also implement a VPN (Virtual Private Network) to insulate the organization’s network through an encrypted connection, so that even when hackers intercept the connection, they are not able to make sense of that information, and therefore ensuring that the connection is private. Sophisticated cyber security systems are also available in the market that can address almost all aspects of cyber security, such as the ability to protect the organization’s systems against cyber-attacks, alerting IT security personnel when an attack is in progress and assisting in detecting the originator of the attack, shutting down systems to prevent damage and theft, or dropping suspicious connections. These systems can also keep a detailed log of security related activities and perform security audits. A good system might also have a user-friendly portal that gives the security expert a real-time view of the system’s overall health, and use artificial intelligence to make recommendations on how to further improve the system.

As mentioned above there are many consequences to a cyber security attack on your organization. The organization could face a financial loss if the theft of information allows the perpetrator to gain access into company bank accounts and authorize money transfers. There could be theft of company secrets that may allow a competitor to develop the same or a better product. Another increasing trend especially for organizations that handle large databases that contain detailed information on clients and citizens, is that hackers are targeting these organizations to get information on people’s credit card information, bank accounts, and other biographical information that can be sold to other individuals intending to do reputational or financial harm. When this occurs, the organization can be liable to a lawsuit because they have an obligation to safely store and not share individual’s data with third parties without consent. The damage to the organization may also be reputational, as customers might be less likely to conduct business with an organization that is perceived as being reckless in the handling of client data. Hackers can also sabotage the organization by slowing down or disabling the IT systems that allow the organization to conduct its business, such as taking down a company website.

It is therefore imperative that any organization take steps to ensure that their cyber security strategy is in place and a good threat detection and prevention system is in effect. The cyber security plan needs to be adequate for the organization’s size and its level of vulnerability to cyber-attacks. If the organization does not have internal resources to implement such a plan, it is imperative that they partner with a cyber security expert company to help prevent a potential disaster. Get in touch with Technolibra for expert cyber security advice and solutions that will ensure adequate protection of your information assets.