Incoming Cybersecurity Leadership
Regardless of whichever way you lean politically, the recent announcement of a few incoming Presidential government staff appointments is hopefully good news to those who know the importance of strong cybersecurity.
Why?
Because these individuals come with a collective history of working in the industry. This means that there won’t be any lag time in getting them caught up on why a strong cybersecurity program is critical to all of us and the nation as a whole.
Lemons to Lemonade
Let’s try to make lemonade out of these lemons we keep getting with COVID-19. Yes, there is an uptick in the number of cases and yes, it appears we are heading towards additional restrictions and lockdowns in various ways. One of two things has likely happened, you started working from home and are still there; OR, you were home, but now back in the office. If you’re part of that second set, all signs are pointing to a work from home scenario again in the near future.
Stimulus Scam
With the election season winding down, and a new administration announcing plans for the future, there will be another factor that contributes to the uncertainty of our times. (When does the list of uncertainties stop growing, I wonder?)
And again, we find hackers and cybercriminals in a power position to take advantage of our uncertainty of not only what is true, but also who to look for when it comes to dispersing accurate information. This isn’t discrediting any individual or organization, but we can all agree to admit, chaos can prevail in the current climate of COVID-19.
Security Skill Shortage
As the need for cybersecurity awareness increases across the entire business landscape, so does the need for strong programs and a trained and competent workforce. This affects everyone in at least two ways. First, you need to have a designated leader in place who facilitates the program, and second, you need to ensure that the entire team is strong and informed in their skill set when it comes to ensuring that they are behaving in ways that reinforce the program set in place.
Safe Voting
There’s a lot to talk about in the political world right now. In the United States, we’re on the cusp of a huge election and the opinions are strong. We aren’t here to discuss that side of politics; we’re here to look at how cybersecurity factors into this election process and how it affects all of us, regardless of which “side” you fall on.
What Are the Factors?
Vote for Cybersecurity
No, this is not a political post. In fact, we know that there are some topics that don’t even merit an effort to try to discuss. They’re important, but differing opinions each hold their own value. But when it comes to cybercrime, we should all be a united front. There is one choice, and that is to make it a top priority with a solid plan to defend and uphold a business’s cybersecurity and the entire network from end to end.
Smart Appliances & Cybersecurity
And so, the season starts. Which one is it that we’re referring to? Cyber Monday, Black Friday, Prime Day…all of these sales tend to lean towards exceptional deals on electronics, and today that means the “smartest” of appliances are being purchased and set up in our homes.
By getting the latest and greatest, are we inadvertently putting a spy in our home? Do smart appliances have the ability to hear and see what we are doing?
We Don’t Negotiate
The United States government has been known to take a stand of ‘we don’t negotiate with terrorists’ when it comes to discussions of ransom. Whether this has 100% certainty to it can be argued in more ways than we care to discuss here.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month
October kicks off 2020’s cybersecurity awareness month, and if this year has given us any type of certainty, it’s that smart cyber practices are a necessity. The uncertain, the unexpected, and the unknown all allow for hackers to gain our trust, and eventually access, into our personal and professional records without knowledge or permission.
Home Office Security – Never Too Late to Evaluate
We are past the point of whether or not working remotely, or from home, is something we are unsure of. It is likely our permanent setup, or at the very least, a long term one that we need to move forward with and in confidence. These recommendations should be for readers who find themselves in this situation as well as any IT provider that oversees clients and their cybersecurity.