Spoiler Alert! New Technologies Have Negative Impacts on Information Security

Spoiler Alert! New Technologies Have Negative Impacts on Information Security

The evolution of new technology is exciting, but the growing threats to information security — not so much. Information security, or InfoSec, refers to your company’s tools and processes to protect digital and analogue information.

It safeguards sensitive data against unauthorised activities, such as inspection, modification, and disruption. If client details, financial data and intellectual property are compromised from tampering or deletion, the consequences could be irrevocable.

There are varying types of InfoSec implementation, including:

  • Application security
  • Cloud security
  • Incident response
  • Vulnerability management
  • Disaster recovery

Information Security vs Cybersecurity

People often use the two terms interchangeably, and although they are both security strategies, cybersecurity and information security cover different objectives and scopes.

Cybersecurity involves protecting raw data primarily from internet-based threats, a subcategory of InfoSec if you will. Meanwhile, information security covers a broader range, from data encryption and endpoint security to infrastructure and networks containing corporate information.

It is related to information assurance, protecting information from non-human-based threats, like natural disasters and server failures.

Common InfoSec Threats

The current digital climate, while impressive, has given rise to more risks that will affect your company’s information security. Some of the top threats to look out for are as follows:

1. Unsecured Systems

The speed at which technologies are advancing imperils security measures more than you’d think. At other times, legacy systems developed without security in mind may remain in operation.

Hence, companies must diagnose these faulty systems to properly mitigate potential threats. Ensure your security team does so by patching, decommissioning, or isolating them.

2. Social Media Breaches

Social media sites are a hacker’s hunting ground for obtaining personal information. Whether we mean to or not, we do share quite a lot about ourselves on these platforms.

Attackers can easily breach social media security, spreading malware through direct messaging. Or, they might use the information displayed on these sites to analyse organisational vulnerabilities and plan an attack.

Social Media Breaches
3. Social Engineering Attacks

Social engineering weaponises psychological stratagems to trick users into divulging private information or providing access to the attacker. Spear phishing is a common form of social engineering often executed through email.

For example, hackers may target an employee within an organisation by sending an email appearing to be from a colleague. They could then steal personal information or company secrets disguised as a trustworthy source.

And yes, technology is progressive enough for attackers to do this, causing a significant information security risk. Thus, it’s important to raise awareness of social engineering and its dangers and train users to identify these messages.

4. Lack of Encryption

Encryption is the key to data security, encoding data that only authorised users can decode. It is especially vital for avoiding data loss or prevention due to lost or stolen equipment or even cyberattacks.

However, it is a complex process lacking legal obligations regarding proper implementation. Although organisations used to overlook this security measure, more and more are increasingly adopting it through cloud services that support encryption. 

5. Insider Threats

The ones responsible for insider threats are, sad to say, your company’s employees. Vulnerabilities like these could be accidental or intentional, wherein attackers misuse “legitimate” privileges to access confidential information.

With accidental threats, individuals may unintentionally expose business information, download malware, or experience identity theft. Conversely, intentional threats may see insiders damaging, leaking, or stealing sensitive information on purpose for personal gain. 

6. Security Misconfiguration

In this modern age, it’s safe to say that companies use numerous technological platforms and tools. More specifically, web applications, Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications, databases, etc.

While cloud services usually have security features in place, these tools must undergo configuration by the organisation. Security misconfiguration resulting from negligence or human error can lead to a breach in security.

Luckily, you can mitigate such risks by engaging a third-party provider that continuously monitors IT systems and identifies information security gaps. With over a decade of experience up its sleeve, Aegis offers complete managed data protection and cloud disaster recovery services.

We ensure proactive monitoring and support all year round with unlimited disaster recovery resources and certified DR drills.

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