Data risks while working remotely
With remote working or working from home becoming the new normal, so is the risk of being vulnerable to cyberattacks. Unlike with personal cyberattacks, it is not just one individual’s data that is at risk but heaps of sensitive company data that is in jeopardy, and with several devices now being networked together, a breach in one device may infect all other systems in the network. Sometimes a small breach is all it takes to bring the organization to its knees.
So, organizations heavily invest in a dedicated IT team to keep threats at bay. But with the workforce being distributed remotely a lot of the threat mitigation needs to happen at the employee level.
Here are some common cyber threats that might compromise a system,
Phishing schemes
Phishing is an attack that attempts to steal your money, or identity, by getting you to reveal personal information - such as credit card numbers, bank information, or passwords - on websites that pretend to be legitimate.
There are 5 common types of Phishing schemes
Email phishing: where fraudsters buy fake domains that look similar to that of a big organization, asking readers to click on a link or download an attachment.
Spear phishing: a more advanced version of email phishing where the scammer knows partial personal information that they use to make messages look more legitimate.
Whaling: are emails where the sender claims to be a senior exec from work, commonly pretending to be busy & requesting the reader to transfer some funds to a random account.
Smishing and vishing: are scams done over phones instead of emails. This usually is designed to look like account activity messages from your bank.
Angler phishing: a relatively new way of using social media to lure people with fake links, posts & messages promising them undeniable offers or refunds in exchange for sensitive personal information.
2. Weak passwords
A password is designed to keep unauthorized personnel (and those notorious hacker bots) from gaining access to sensitive information. Having a password that is short, common, not a combination of different characters, a system default, or something that can be guessed by a brute force attack all fall under weak passwords, compromising overall system security.
3. Unencrypted file sharing
Employees might send/receive unencrypted emails, forward files to recipients outside the organization, send files to the wrong email IDs or sometimes even use sharing software that has not been approved by the IT department. Doing so significantly increases the chances of data leaks & breaches.
4. Insecure Wi-Fi
Using less secure Wi-Fi at home or the free Wi-Fi at airports, coffee shops & other public places can prove very dangerous. Using such WiFi connections can invite attackers to
Capture personal information including User IDs & passwords
Search history & digital patterns
Make unauthorized transactions using the saved payment information
Gain access to other systems on your network
Hack accounts that have been signed into
Launch malware attacks on the device
5. Working from personal devices
Working remotely but accessing the organization’s files & establishing communication on personal devices that have not been vetted by the IT team can pose a great deal of threat. Especially since these devices are not designed for high levels of security & because these devices are being used by other family members, including kids.
6. Zero-day attacks
Zero-day attacks are lines of code taking advantage of security flaws before they are patched with a security update. With attackers finding such vulnerabilities, they use phishing tactics or direct malware attacks to gather victims' personal information. Such exploits can also be sold on the dark web for large sums of money.
7. Malware, spyware, and viruses
Malware is a general term used to describe malicious or unwanted software that may cause the system to malfunction. The most common ones are -
Viruses - programs that attach themselves to stored/transferred data or software. These viruses usually tend to self-replicate by inserting lines of code into other programs.
Spyware - is software that installs on PCs without the users' knowledge, disguised as a genuine tool it tracks the activity of the user.
8. Trojans and worms
A worm is a form of malware that functions similar to a virus but with the added capability of infecting other computers on the network. A Trojan aka Trojan Horse is an advanced Spyware, designed to damage, disrupt, steal & inflict harmful actions on victims' data.
Do not be bogged by these data threats, check out our latest blog on ways to ensure your system & network are shielded from threats like these.