Why cybersecurity is important: it elevates your system against cyberattacks
Cybersecurity is crucial because it safeguards all types of data against theft and loss. Sensitive data, personally identifiable information (PII), protected health information (PHI), personal information, intellectual property, data, and government and business information systems are all included. Organisations can’t defend themselves against data breach operations without a cybersecurity program, making them an easy target for bad actors.
Vhive, a leading furniture retailer in Singapore, knew this too well.
Their system suffered from a ransomware attack which compromised its customer base, affecting the personal data of over 180,000 individuals. Forensic investigation results uncovered how the threat actor gained easy access.
- An outdated IT infrastructure which had vulnerabilities when the incident happened
- An outdated webserver service on which the e-commerce platform was running
- An unpatched firewall
The threat actor waltzed in without a fuss and carried out the ransomware attack.
The use of cloud services, such as Amazon Web Services, to store sensitive data and personal information is raising both inherent and residual risks. Because of widespread inadequate cloud service configuration and increasingly adept cyber malicious actors, the danger that an organisation will suffer from a successful cyber assault or data breach is increasing.
Business executives can no longer rely simply on off-the-shelf cybersecurity solutions such as antivirus software and firewalls because hackers are becoming smarter, and their strategies are becoming more impervious to traditional cyber defenses. To keep safe, it’s critical to cover all aspects of cybersecurity.
Lovebonito is an e-commerce startup retailing clothing and accessories. They employed a cloud-based server to host and run their website.
In December 2019, one of their IT systems was hacked. The personal data of over 5,000 customers was accessed and exfiltrated by a malicious actor. The culprit? A compromised account from their cloud-based Content Management System (CMS).
Cyberattacks can originate at any level of an organisation. Workplaces must provide cybersecurity awareness training to employees to educate them on prevalent cyber risks such as social engineering schemes, phishing, ransomware attacks (such as WannaCry), and other malware aimed at stealing intellectual property or personal data.
Because of the increasing number of data breaches, cybersecurity is no longer limited to highly regulated industries such as healthcare. Even small organisations are vulnerable to irreversible reputational damage as a result of a data breach.
What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is the state or practice of defending and recovering computer systems, networks, devices, and applications against cyberattacks of any kind. As attackers use new approaches powered by social engineering and artificial intelligence (AI) to evade traditional data security protections, cyber-attacks are becoming a more sophisticated and dynamic threat to sensitive data.
The world is becoming increasingly dependent on technology, and this reliance will continue when innovators introduce the next generation of new technology, which will have access to user’s linked gadgets via Bluetooth and Wi-Fi.
Intelligent cloud security solutions should be applied alongside strong password restrictions such as multi-factor authentication to limit illegal access in order to keep client data secure while embracing new technologies.
Why cybersecurity is important: it cultivates customer trust
The importance of cybersecurity is growing. Fundamentally, our society is more electronically dependent than ever before, and this tendency shows no signs of abating. Data leaks that potentially lead to identity theft are now being publicized on social media sites. Social security numbers, credit card information, and bank account information are now saved in cloud storage services such as Dropbox or Google Drive.
Imagine if your organisation’s database is exposed on social media or sold off on the black market. How do you think your customers and stakeholders would feel? They would naturally be more than just upset.
Every day, whether you are a person, a small organisation, or a major global corporation, you rely on computer systems. When we combine this with the proliferation of cloud services, inadequate cloud service security, cellphones, and the Internet of Things (IoT), we have a plethora of possible security vulnerabilities that did not exist a few decades ago.
Governments all over the world are paying more attention to cybercrime. PDPA is an excellent example. It has enhanced the reputational harm caused by data breaches by requiring all firms operating in the Singapore to:
- communicate data breaches
- appoint a Data Protection Officer
- obtain user consent to handle information
- anonymize data for privacy
- notify individuals impacted as soon as feasible
- notify the authorities as soon as possible
What is the impact of Cybercrime?
Many factors contribute to the high cost of cybercrime. Each of these issues can be traced back to a failure to prioritise the best cybersecurity procedures.
A lack of focus on cybersecurity can harm your organisation in a variety of ways, including:
Intellectual property theft, business information theft, trading interruption, and the cost of fixing damaged systems
Cost of Reputation
Consumer distrust, loss of current and prospective customers to competitors, and negative media coverage
Because of PDPA and other data breach rules, organisations may face regulatory fines or sanctions as a result of cybercrime.
- For Vhive, a financial penalty of $22,000 was imposed as a result of the breach
- For Lovebonito, the financial penalty was slightly higher at $24,000
All organisations, regardless of size, must ensure that all employees are aware of cybersecurity hazards and how to mitigate them. This should include frequent training and a working framework aimed at reducing the risk of data leaks or breaches.
Given the nature of cybercrime and how difficult it can be to detect, understanding the direct and indirect costs of many security breaches is tough. This is not to say that even a little data breach or other security incidents will not cause significant reputational harm. Consumers should expect increasingly advanced cybersecurity safeguards as time passes.
How to protect your organization against Cybercrime
Simple efforts can be taken to improve security and reduce the risk of cybercrime:
In 2019, a human mistake was responsible for 90% of data breaches. However, there is a silver lining to this troubling statistic. The majority of data breach instances might be avoided if employees were educated on how to identify and respond to cyber threats. Such instructional programs could also boost the value of any cybersecurity solution expenditures by preventing employees from unwittingly circumventing costly security safeguards to support crimes.
Safeguard your personal data
Invest in tools that prevent information loss, monitor third-party and fourth-party vendor risk, and scan for data exposure and leaked credentials on a regular basis. Understandably, this can put a dent in your budget. But there are affordable options you can employ to ensure your system meets its regular pen testing requirements. For instance, Privacy Ninja’s vulnerability assessment and penetration testing service is not only one of the most affordable pen testing service providers in Singapore, but it also carries a license from the Cybersecurity Services Regulation Office.
If left untreated, data leaks can assist attackers in gaining access to corporate networks and breaching key resources. It is critical to creating a data leak detection solution that can also monitor leaks throughout the third-party network.
Compromised third-party providers cause almost 60% of data breaches; therefore, by preventing vendor data leaks, the majority of data breach incidents can be avoided.
Put in place a Third-Party Risk Management (TPRM) solution
As part of an overall cyber security risk assessment plan, use technology to decrease costs, such as automatically sending out vendor evaluation questionnaires.
Organisations should no longer question why cybersecurity is necessary but rather how they can ensure my organization’s cybersecurity procedures are enough to comply with PDPA and other legislation, as well as safeguard their firm from sophisticated cyber assaults. Organisations may also take practical steps to lessen your organization’s cybersecurity risk.
Also Read: A beginner’s guide to the Singapore PDPA
Usalama wa mtandao ni muhimu kwa sababu huhifadhi data yako dhidi ya wizi na hasara. Takwimu nyeti, habari za kibinafsi (PII), habari za afya zilizohifadhiwa (PHI), habari za kibinafsi, mali ya akili, data, na mifumo ya habari ya serikali na biashara ni pamoja na. Mashirika hayawezi kujilinda dhidi ya shughuli za uvunjaji wa data bila programu ya usalama wa mtandao, ikiwafanya kuwa shabaha rahisi kwa watendaji wabaya. Vhive, muuzaji mashuhuri wa fanicha huko Singapore, alijua vizuri sana jambo hilo. Mfumo wao ulipatwa na shambulio la ransomware ambalo lilihatarisha msingi wake wa wateja, ikiathiri data ya kibinafsi ya watu zaidi ya 180,000. Matokeo ya uchunguzi wa forensic yaligundua jinsi mwigizaji wa tishio alipata upatikanaji rahisi. - Miundombinu ya IT iliyopitwa na wakati ambayo ilikuwa na udhaifu wakati tukio lilipotokea - Huduma ya seva ya wavuti iliyopitwa na wakati ambayo jukwaa la e-commerce lilikuwa likifanya kazi - Ukuta wa moto usio na patch Mwigizaji wa tishio aliingia bila fujo na kutekeleza shambulio la ransomware. "Utumizi wa huduma za wingu, kama vile Amazon Web Services, kuhifadhi data nyeti na habari za kibinafsi, inaongeza hatari za asili na za mabaki. """ Kwa sababu ya usanidi wa huduma ya wingu usiofaa na wavuvi wa cyber wanaozidi kuwa na ustadi, hatari ya shirika kuteseka kutokana na shambulio la mtandao au uvunjaji wa data unaongezeka. "Wakuu wa biashara hawawezi tena kutegemea tu suluhisho la usalama wa mtandao kama vile programu ya antivirus na firewalls kwa sababu wahasibu wanakuwa werevu zaidi na mikakati yao inakuwa isiyoweza kuathiriwa na ulinzi wa jadi wa mtandao. """ Ili kuwa salama, ni muhimu kufunika nyanja zote za usalama wa mtandao. Lovebonito ni e-commerce startup rejareja nguo na vifaa. Walitumia seva ya wingu kuwa mwenyeji na kuendesha tovuti yao. Mnamo Desemba 2019, mfumo mmoja wa IT ulivunjwa. Takwimu za kibinafsi za wateja zaidi ya 5,000 zilifichuliwa na kuondolewa na mwigizaji mwovu. Ni nani aliyefanya hivyo? Akaunti iliyoharibiwa kutoka kwa Mfumo wao wa Usimamizi wa Maudhui (CMS) wa wingu. Mashambulizi ya kiber inaweza kutokea katika ngazi yoyote ya shirika. "Wafanyakazi wanapaswa kutoa mafunzo ya uhamasishaji wa usalama wa mtandao kwa wafanyikazi ili kuwaelimisha juu ya hatari za mtandao kama vile ""mipango ya uhandisi wa kijamii,"" ""phishing,"" ""matukio ya ransomware"" (kama vile WannaCry) na ""malware nyingine"" inayolenga kuiba mali ya akili au data ya kibinafsi." Kwa sababu ya kuongezeka kwa idadi ya uvunjaji wa data, usalama wa mtandao haujapunguzwa tena kwa viwanda vilivyo na udhibiti mkubwa kama vile huduma za afya. Hata mashirika madogo ni hatari ya uharibifu wa sifa irreversible kama matokeo ya uvunjaji wa data. Usalama wa Mtandao ni nini? Usalama wa mtandao ni hali au mazoezi ya kulinda na kurejesha mifumo ya kompyuta, mitandao, vifaa, na maombi dhidi ya mashambulizi ya mtandao ya aina yoyote. "Wakati washambuliaji wanatumia mbinu mpya zinazoendeshwa na uhandisi wa kijamii na akili bandia (AI) ili kuepuka ulinzi wa kawaida wa usalama wa data, mashambulizi ya mtandao yanakuwa tishio la hali ya juu na la nguvu kwa data nyeti. """ Ulimwengu unategemea teknolojia zaidi na zaidi, na utegemezi huu utaendelea wakati wavumbuzi watakapoleta kizazi kipya cha teknolojia mpya, ambayo itakuwa na ufikiaji wa vifaa vya watumiaji vilivyounganishwa kupitia Bluetooth na Wi-Fi. Usalama wa wingu la akili inapaswa kutumika pamoja na vikwazo vikali vya nywila kama vile uthibitisho wa sababu nyingi ili kupunguza upatikanaji haramu ili kuweka data ya mteja salama wakati wa kukumbatia teknolojia mpya. Kwa nini usalama wa mtandao ni muhimu: inakuza uaminifu wa wateja Umuhimu wa usalama wa mtandao unazidi kuongezeka. Kwa kweli, jamii yetu inategemea zaidi vifaa vya elektroniki kuliko wakati mwingine wowote, na mwelekeo huo haionyeshi dalili za kupungua. Uvujaji wa data ambao unaweza kusababisha wizi wa utambulisho sasa unachapishwa kwenye tovuti za mitandao ya kijamii. Nambari za usalama wa kijamii, habari za kadi ya mkopo, na habari za akaunti ya benki sasa zimehifadhiwa katika huduma za kuhifadhi wingu kama vile Dropbox au Google Drive. Fikiria kama database ya shirika lako ni wazi juu ya vyombo vya habari vya kijamii au kuuzwa nje katika soko nyeusi. Unafikiri wateja wako na wadau wangehisije? Kwa kawaida, wangekuwa na wasiwasi zaidi. Kila siku, iwe wewe ni mtu binafsi, shirika dogo, au shirika kubwa la kimataifa, unategemea mifumo ya kompyuta. "Kama tunachanganya hii na kuenea kwa huduma za wingu, usalama wa huduma za wingu, simu za mkononi, na mtandao wa vitu (IoT), tuna idadi kubwa ya udhaifu wa usalama ambao haukuwapo miongo michache iliyopita. """ Serikali duniani kote zinatoa uangalifu zaidi kwa uhalifu wa mtandao. PDPA ni mfano mzuri. Sheria hiyo inazingatia sheria za usalama na inahitaji kampuni zote zinazofanya kazi nchini Singapore kuwasiliana na watu wanaohusika na uvunjaji wa data, kuajiri afisa wa ulinzi wa data, kupata idhini ya watumiaji kushughulikia habari, kuondoa jina la data kwa faragha, kuwahubiria watu walioathirika haraka iwezekanavyo, na kuwajulisha mamlaka haraka iwezekanavyo. Kuna mambo mengi yanayochangia gharama kubwa ya uhalifu wa kompyuta. Kila moja ya masuala haya inaweza kufuatiliwa nyuma ya kushindwa kuweka kipaumbele taratibu bora za usalama wa mtandao. Ukosefu wa kuzingatia usalama wa mtandao unaweza kuharibu shirika lako kwa njia mbalimbali, ikiwa ni pamoja na wizi wa mali ya akili, wizi wa habari za biashara, usumbufu wa biashara, na gharama ya kurekebisha mifumo iliyoharibiwa, gharama ya sifa, kutokuamini kwa watumiaji, kupoteza wateja wa sasa na wanaotarajiwa kwa washindani, na chanjo hasi ya vyombo vya habari. Vive ilipewa adhabu ya $ 22,000 kwa kosa hilo, na Lovebonito ilipewa $ 24,000 kwa kosa hilo, na kampuni zote, bila kujali ukubwa wake, lazima kuhakikisha wafanyikazi wote wanajua hatari za usalama wa mtandao na jinsi ya kuzipunguza. Hii inapaswa kujumuisha mafunzo ya mara kwa mara na mfumo wa kazi unaolenga kupunguza hatari ya uvujaji wa data au ukiukaji. Kwa kuzingatia asili ya uhalifu wa mtandao na jinsi inaweza kuwa ngumu kugundua, kuelewa gharama za moja kwa moja na zisizo za moja kwa moja za uvunjaji wa usalama ni ngumu. Hii haimaanishi kwamba hata uvunjaji mdogo wa data au matukio mengine ya usalama hayatasababisha uharibifu mkubwa wa sifa. Watumiaji wanapaswa kutarajia ulinzi wa usalama wa mtandao unaozidi kuwa wa hali ya juu kadiri wakati unavyopita. Jinsi ya kulinda shirika lako dhidi ya uhalifu wa mtandao: Jitihada rahisi zinaweza kuchukuliwa ili kuboresha usalama na kupunguza hatari ya uhalifu wa mtandao: Katika 2019, kosa la kibinadamu lilikuwa na jukumu la 90% ya uvunjaji wa data. Hata hivyo, kuna faida fulani katika takwimu hizo zenye kusumbua. Uharibifu wa data unaweza kuepukwa ikiwa wafanyikazi wanajifunza jinsi ya kutambua na kukabiliana na vitisho vya mtandao. Programu kama hizo za mafunzo zinaweza pia kuongeza thamani ya matumizi yoyote ya suluhisho la usalama wa mtandao kwa kuzuia wafanyikazi kutoka kwa kuepuka bila kukusudia ulinzi wa usalama wa gharama kubwa ili kusaidia uhalifu. Kuhifadhi data yako binafsi: Weka katika zana ambazo huzuia upotezaji wa habari, angalia hatari ya wauzaji wa tatu na wa tatu, na skana kwa ufuniko wa data na sifa zilizovuja mara kwa mara. Ni jambo la kueleweka kwamba hilo laweza kudhoofisha bajeti yako. Lakini kuna chaguzi nafuu unaweza kutumia kuhakikisha mfumo wako hukutana na mahitaji yake ya kawaida ya mtihani kalamu. Kwa mfano, huduma ya tathmini ya udhaifu na upimaji wa kupenya ya Privacy Ninja sio tu moja ya watoa huduma za upimaji wa kalamu ya bei nafuu nchini Singapore, lakini pia ina leseni kutoka kwa Ofisi ya Udhibiti wa Huduma za Usalama wa Siber. Ikiwa haitatibiwa, uvujaji wa data unaweza kusaidia washambuliaji kupata ufikiaji wa mitandao ya ushirika na kuvunja rasilimali muhimu. Ni muhimu kwa ajili ya kuunda data kuvuja kugundua ufumbuzi ambayo pia inaweza kufuatilia kuvuja katika mtandao wa tatu. Watoa huduma wa tatu walioharibiwa husababisha karibu 60% ya uvunjaji wa data; kwa hivyo, kwa kuzuia uvujaji wa data ya muuzaji, matukio mengi ya uvunjaji wa data yanaweza kuepukwa. Kuanzisha TRP (Third-Party Risk Management) - kama sehemu ya mpango wa jumla wa tathmini ya hatari ya usalama wa mtandao, tumia teknolojia ili kupunguza gharama, kama vile kutuma maswali ya tathmini ya wauzaji. "Mashirika hayapaswi tena kuuliza kwa nini usalama wa mtandao ni muhimu, lakini badala yake jinsi wanaweza kuhakikisha taratibu za usalama wa mtandao wa shirika langu zinatosha kufuata PDPA na sheria nyingine, na pia kulinda kampuni yao kutoka kwa mashambulizi ya kisasa ya mtandao. """ Mashirika pia yanaweza kuchukua hatua za vitendo ili kupunguza hatari ya usalama wa mtandao wa shirika lako. Soma pia: Mwongozo wa mwanzoni wa Singapore PDPA