In the realm of good business models, digital security is ever-present. You’ll struggle to find an organization that has no form of digital security whatsoever.
But despite good intentions behind the digital security policies in place, organizations remain at high risk of digital security breaches. Unfortunately, the opinions surrounding digital security are often based on myths, created out of misunderstanding and a lack of information.
9 DIGITAL SECURITY MYTHS
At Assertiv, we’re a dynamic group of professionals with a passion for identity, security and technology. Below are 9 of the most common digital security myths… debunked!
#1 SMALL COMPANIES ARE AT LESS RISK
One of the most widespread digital security myths is that there is not enough value in small to medium-sized businesses to put them at a high risk of a digital security attack. The 2019 Data Breach Investigations Report suggests otherwise. It states that of all the digital security breach targets, SMBs are 58% of them.
Whilst this may seem counterintuitive, being small and ‘off-the-radar’ doesn’t protect your organization from digital security breaches. It highlights you as an easy target with weak security countermeasures.
A small to medium business is at as much risk as any major enterprise.
#2 DIGITAL SECURITY THREATS ARE INDUSTRY SPECIFIC
In short – if your organization connects to the internet, you are part of an industry that is at risk. Movies would have us convinced that the tech and finance industries are where cyber-attacks occur. But the reality is, hackers don’t discriminate – they will target whatever, whenever. Even if you don’t believe your data is valuable to anyone else, it is valuable to you. Suffering a ransomware attack can quickly highlight how this can be turned in favour of a cyber criminal.
#3 STRONG PASSWORDS WILL DO THE TRICK
Regardless of how many special characters and numbers your employees use in their passwords, they are not strong enough.
Passwords can be easily leaked. The reuse of passwords across several platforms puts you at further risk as you then rely on the security of third-party organizations too. Additionally, social engineering and intricate malware attacks make the bypassing of passwords effortless.
Combining passwords with multi-factor authentication and proactively managing employee password access is an essential part of safeguarding your organization.
#4 ANTI-VIRUS/ANTI-MALWARE SOFTWARE IS SUFFICIENT
Anti-virus software does contribute to your digital security. But don’t be fooled into thinking that it will defend your intellectual property from all attackers. Anti-virus software protects you from a list of documented, known viruses and malware. The newer, unknown ones generally go undetected.
#5 DIGITAL SECURITY BREACHES ARE EASILY IDENTIFIED
The Ponemon Institute did a study in 2017. It revealed that an organization takes on average 191 days to realize a digital security breach. That’s a whole 6 months of compromised data and systems before you can begin remediation.
Digital security breaches are not obvious. Your networks need to be continuously monitored for signs of abnormal activity.
#6 INTERNAL THREATS ARE UNLIKELY
The significance or internal security threats is underrated. The view of most is that digital security threats stem from outside of your organization. Research suggests that almost 75% of digital security breaches are an inside job, whether deliberate or not.
The risk of internal security threats needs addressing, considering your employees are the direct link to your organization’s most valuable data.
The ability to have control over your employees’ access permissions is key to securing your data. Another key factor is educating your workforce on cyber threats through ongoing training.
#7 THE PERFECT DIGITAL SECURITY SYSTEM EXISTS
There is no sure-fire way to protect your organization from digital security threats. No system is 100% secure. Due to technology’s rapid evolution, new threats surface every day. A digital security system that was once all-encompassing is likely not up to scratch now.
Adaptation of up to date digital security practices is crucial in creating and maintaining digital security.
#8 DIGITAL SECURITY DOESN’T NEED ASSESSMENT
Belief in this digital security myth can have disastrous results. Digital security plans aren’t ever foolproof without assessment. Penetration tests need running to reveal any vulnerabilities and allow time for resolution. Staff access needs to be revalidated periodically to ensure people are not accruing access they no longer need.
Assessment of your digital security measures needs regular conducting. Failure to do so has proven to be fatal for many businesses.
#9 DIGITAL SECURITY SOLUTIONS ARE COSTLY AND COMPLICATED
Because of limited IT budgets, business resources are often invested in revenue increasing and productivity-enhancing technologies. There is a perception that digital security solutions cost a lot of money, impedes productivity and don’t drive revenue. So, they don’t rank on an organization’s priority list.
Whilst this may be the case with some digital security solution providers, this is not always the case. Having a digital security solution in place does not have to be expensive or complicated. Solutions like Assertiv, come with improved efficiencies, increased productivity, brand enrichment and peace of mind.
WHAT ASSERTIV OFFERS
Assertiv provides personalized service to small, medium and large organizations. We prevent digital security breaches and increase employee productivity, at a competitive price.
Our Cloud-based Identity and Access Management platform provides your users with secure Single Sign-On. It assists your HR and IT departments with managing, and where possible, automating the user lifecycle process.
Assertiv gives you complete control over who has access to which applications. This gives you far more security than maintaining individual logins for every system. And it is much faster to set up and lockdown.
FINAL WORDS
Most organizations understand digital security in theory. But, the number of security breaches that happen suggests it is less understood in practice.
A false sense of security is created by relying on traditional digital security measures. In times of peak digital disruption and an ever-changing technological landscape, it’s important to take a proactive approach to the securing of your organization’s valuable data.
Assertiv offers a secure, innovative, simple and cost-effective solution to improving your digital security. Create your free account or contact us to see how we can assist you.
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