No Shortcuts in Cybersecurity

Security Breaches, Data Leaks, and Phishing Attacks

There are no shortcuts in cybersecurity. Following recent news reports of substantial data breaches, devastating leaks, and even savvy executives falling prey to phishing attacks, there is renewed interest in making sure that people are protected when they use their devices.

As is human nature, however, many people turn to solutions that promise easy fixes, and don’t add steps to their workflow. Most of these promised solutions are ineffective, or worse,  further compromise privacy and security by demanding access for sensitive information or contain malware themselves.

As scammers find new ways to target their victims, fooling even sophisticated users, it’s more important than ever to have a comprehensive approach based on an accurate assessment of vulnerabilities.

Bad Actors: Understanding Who, Why, and How

At VerSprite, we help clients understand how to enhance their cybersecurity, to better understand why bad actors may try to target them, both who and how.

Understanding the “why” helps clients better evaluate which countermeasures to take and how to train their workforces in the most effective ways to protect themselves.

Perhaps they have sensitive data that scammers could sell, or maybe they deal in sophisticated technology that is a lucrative target for state-sponsored hackers looking to help domestic industries gain an edge.

Many companies rely on third party code written in countries where programmers are inserting backdoors so their governments can access the information.

The “who” depends very much on where a company operates, what work it does, and who wants to get their hands on it, whether for the purposes of stealing identities, intellectual property, physical access, or sensitive user data.

Domestic and international competitors, intelligence agencies, activists, terrorists, criminals and even disgruntled former employees are just some of the bad actors companies need to worry about.

Even supposedly friendly entities, like foreign partners, embedded contractors, and vendors may purposely or inadvertently introduce comprised communication methods, apps, or software into a work environment.

The “how” is constantly evolving, as bad actors find new ways to use our own technology against us, and draft unsuspecting or disaffected people into giving them the access they need.

Convincing phishing attempts, vishing attacks where scammers call and terrify victims into believing they are being investigated by authorities, and ransomware attacks, which lock up access to critical files until ransom is paid, are all increasing in volume and sophistication, fooling even those who should know better.

No single splashy app can help protect a company with a complex threat landscape. To address all of this, companies need to invest in comprehensive assessments designed to identify weaknesses, choose from a range of vetted tech solutions, and institute effective security training programs to ensure their workforces aren’t engaging in workarounds that create accidental points of exposure.

Geopolitical Risk and Cyber Risk Exposure

At VerSprite, we take the time to learn about how our clients work, what tech they use and how well it is vetted, and help them understand why their work might be targeted by teaching them to see it through a geopolitical risk lens, to identify and institute the best measures for their needs.

How can VerSprite help you better understand your geopolitical risk and cyber risk exposure? VerSprite offers a range of services designed to help companies assess, analyze, and address their exposure to geopolitical risk.

Geopolitical Risk consulting can help you further unlock your organization’s potential by discovering previously unforeseen opportunities for you to flourish in the global economy. Read more →