The Cybercrime Equation

Learn the best ways to keep your systems and your data safe from ransomware attacks, with advice from Danny Pehar, Bestselling Cybersecurity Author and Technology Council Member at Forbes.

Target

Hackers are targeting sensitive information. Understanding how to manage sensitive information is an excellent start to any cybersecurity awareness training. What sensitive information does our organization have access to? Who within the organization has access to what sensitive information? Where do we keep this sensitive information? Knowing this information will help during a cyber breach, when time is most precious.

Attack

Talk to your teams about the different types of malware that exist, and how hackers play on their victims’ emotions. Teach your teams that hackers use all forms of contact to obtain info: email, instant messaging, text, social networks, phone, office walk-ins, and even fax. If your team receives a message that evokes a strong emotion, teach them to take a deep breath, count to 10, and reassess before taking action.

Vulnerability

Once you understand your hackers target and how they’re attacking, assess the locations and types of info that are likely to be most vulnerable. Vulnerabilities include passwords, email accounts, computers, public Wi-Fi, and offices. Also, teach your team to take special precautions with these vulnerabilities in your company.

Impact

Many organizations preach fear to their employees about terrible things that can happen if a breach occurs. Although there is truth to this fear, it’s important to remind your team it can happen to anyone. Even the CIA got hacked when in 2015 former CIA chief John Brennan was targeted. Rather than just spreading fear, encourage appropriate behaviour and raise awareness with stories like what happened to the CIA.