Code42 CSO says, “Beware the data-stealing Grinch”

By Rick Orloff, Chief Security Officer, Code42

Historically, corporations viewed security as an overhead expense required to meet regulatory controls and audits. As we head into a new year, we know breaches are inevitable and questions about security and data protection are being asked at a higher level. Boards of directors and C-level executives want situational awareness. They want to know, as much as they can, how effective their security programs are and how they compare to peer group programs.

Companies are learning that their security tech stack should enable business functions, not restrict them. Companies are focusing on securing many different layers of their corporate infrastructure but the real focus is on the data (e.g., customer PII, HIPAA, financial records and intellectual property). In today’s workplace, a company’s most critical data isn’t living on a desktop connected to a server—it’s living on laptops, tablets, third-party applications and mobile devices. Many of those devices spend less than half of their time in the office, and represent the disappearing network edge, which can mean an increased risk of data loss. Now and into 2016, the data living on endpoint devices has become a central pillar of a company’s security strategy.

But data protection isn’t just for companies, especially this time of year. We should all follow these four tips to protect our data and ourselves during the busy holiday shopping season:

TIP 1: Don’t shop online using borrowed or public computers, such as those at a cyber cafe. A borrowed computer may be infected and could be recording all of your information.

TIP 2: Public Wi-Fi spots have significant security risks and should be avoided when possible. You’re much safer using your own Wi-Fi or cellular connection.

TIP 3: Protect your passwords—and your data. Do not reuse passwords for multiple accounts. Your email password is the most important password you have. If a hacker can access your email, he or she can simply go to your bank’s website and request a password reset, and quickly gain access to your personal information and bank account.

TIP 4: Do not use your ATM card for any shopping. If you’re the victim of fraud, you often don’t know until all of the cash has been drained from your account. It’s much better to use a credit card as a security buffer. If there is fraud, they typically reverse charges in minutes but it’s not always the same situation with an ATM card.

How can people check to make sure they are going to a reputable website versus a fake one?

Customers should not provide their personal information to e-commerce sites with which they are not familiar. Secure sites use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) and depict a “lock image” in or near their website address. As a precaution, it’s also best to always make sure antivirus software is updated.

To learn more about how endpoint backup can help your organization protect its data, download the ebook, Backup & Beyond.