Data Breach Summary Report

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With technology being the backbone of most organizations, it is imperative that your company have procedures in place to prevent data breaches. As a result of the pandemic, with more people working from home, this is even more important. 

Changes in work environment

Home Devices

According to HelpNetSecurity, “Of devices compromised by malware in 2020, 37% continued accessing corporate emails after being compromised and 11% continued accessing cloud storage, highlighting a need for organizations to better determine how to configure business tools to ensure fast and safe connectivity for all users in 2021.”

While working from home, it is important to dictate the tools and procedures for an organization to follow to avoid being targeted digitally.  “In 2020, 28% of organizations were regularly utilizing an operating system with a known security vulnerability.” Having systems and procedures in place can help avoid a situation where your information is compromised. This can also be more effective with which devices your organization uses as “Android devices are 5.3x more likely to have a vulnerable app installed than iOS devices”. 

As people continue to work from home, and some organizations make decisions to continue remote work options , it is imperative that information security policies are updated and reviewed. 

Making sure your organization is educated about easy ways to stop cyber crime is important. This can be anything from creating unique passwords for different accounts and avoiding links in messages from unknown senders. According to HelpNetSecurity, “77% of people reuse passwords and 88% of people have received a suspicious message or link in the last year”. 

Social media

According to HelpNetSecurity, 84% of people post on social media every week, and many of those people may be posting personal identifiable information about themselves on public accounts. This kind of information can include locations, hobbies, relationships, birthdays, names and photos of their children, and more. Some of these may seem harmless but when coupled with other easily accessible information, can give cybercriminals all the information they need to hack your accounts. 

Out of office messages:

Keep these messages vague. Stating where you are going, how long you will be gone and providing personal contact information in your email will send valuable information to anyone who sends you an email the necessary info to potentially impersonate you while you are gone.

Coronavirus Pandemic

Phishers are using SMS to gain access to your sensitive information. The messages have been catered to activities more prevalent during the pandemic such as applying for the COVID-19 vaccine, package notifications, payments for specific deliveries and financial help from the government, contests, etc. These messages prey on people in need and when followed can gain personal and financial information, online banking information, account credentials, associated passwords, and more. Be aware and cautious of any text messages claiming to come from Amazon, PayPal, tax authority, police or law enforcement, Facebook, Google, Apple, and more. If you get a message that seems unusual and has a link or phone number do not use it. Go directly through your browser to the website it is claiming to need you to visit or call the company directly without clicking on anything from the message. 

Home Security Resources

Social Media

Cybercriminals will use whatever means necessary to gain personal or valuable information from you. This can include trying to friend and ask you questions via social media. Beware of sharing your location and watch out for questions that could resemble a security question like “Where did you grow up?” or “What was your first pet’s name?”. 

Passwords & Backups

Changing your passwords frequently and avoiding using the same password for multiple important accounts is a great way to keep your information secure. Avoid using unknown USB ports and devices as there can be malware ready to grab your information. This includes borrowed/shared charging stations. 

There are many options to backup your data from your computer. Some of these include The Cloud and external drives. Make sure to keep track of your backups and test them frequently to ensure they are working properly. 

For more tips on how to navigate cyber security risks read more in our blog

Breaches

According to Statista, there were more data breaches in the first half of 2020 than in the entirety of 2012. Some of the largest breaches in 2020 included Landry’s with stolen payment card information, Microsoft with email addresses and IP addresses, Fifth Third Bank with exposed customer names, social security numbers, drivers license information and other detailed records, Walgreens with information about prescriptions and addresses, and more. Other companies that experienced data breaches in 2020 include Zoom, Facebook, GoDaddy, Magellan Health, Home Chef, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok & Youtube, and many health care establishments and financial companies. 

Keep Your Information Secure

Augusta Data Storage offers many services that can be tailored to your business needs to keep data protected. No matter where your data is stored, vault storage can help. Vault storage and layered backup systems offer the ability to have physical, off-site backups of your cloud and server based records. 

Working remotely can also mean the accumulation of paper records, especially as people are using and generating those OUTSIDE of the office. Does your organization have a procedure for converting those paper documents into digital data? Augusta Data Storage offers many options for digital conversion to cut down on paper access to records. Call today for a quote!