Cybercrime is at record levels – are you prepared?
2018 was an incredible year for the NYDLA and all of our members. As we continue to look for ways to develop key relationships and save money for our members a record number of you have shared recent stories about how you have been a victim of Cybercrime.
As a result, we have reached out to Wells Fargo for help in developing an educational series for our members which will not only discuss some of the most prevalent points of vulnerability and recent trends but also provide a number of actionable ideas which you can implement right away.
Speakers have experience working with government agencies as well as private industry and in our opinion attending would be a very valuable use of your time. Because of the sensitive nature of the content these LIVE in-person discussions will NOT be recorded nor will the information be shared with anyone other than those attending the live event.
According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3.gov), malicious cyber activity costs the U.S. economy $10.3 billion annually, an increase of $3.4B from the prior year.
Cyber threats are ever-evolving and may come from sophisticated adversaries. Due to common vulnerabilities, instances of security breaches occur across firms and in patterns that are difficult to anticipate.
What are the sources of this mounting cyber-threat? The victims range from individual citizens using social engineering tactics, to corporations using ransomware, to international cyber-espionage between our nation and “bad actors” in countries such as Russia, China, Iran and North Korea.
Industries most targeted? Manufacturing, government, healthcare and finance. The healthcare sector, in particular, has suffered record numbers of data breaches in recent years, prompting renewed attention to compliance with HIPAA regulations.
How did the problem grow so large? A mix of factors contributes to today’s escalating cybersecurity crisis from the dynamics of globalizing cyberspace to the diversifying spectrum of emerging technologies. But two clear conclusions can be drawn from the current melee of malicious activity:
- Every organization needs to develop a “cybersecure corporate culture.”
- Managing cybersecurity without expert support is a continuing challenge for any business operating at any scope on any scale.
How can you be sure to educate your organization properly? CIO magazine asked a group of tech executives for their insight. Here’s a digest of best practices they offered:
- Involve Everyone at All Levels – No level of an organization should be exempt from cybersecurity training, especially the firm’s leadership. In fact, having top management participate in programs demonstrates the importance of the issue.
- Design Interactive Programs – Handing out manuals or distributing slideshows alone won’t make much impact or send the right message about the urgency of the issue. Engage staff by working with them one-on-one whenever possible, conducting Q&A and consider deploying simulated phishing testing to hone any additional training that may be required.
- Require Commitment, Enforce Accountability – Equip staff with tools and clear instructions, and then solicit formal commitment to using those measures. To thwart complacency, there should be some form of concrete accountability if individual or organizational adherence to the policies grows lax.
- Eliminate Ambiguity – Identify specific actions that pose risks, such as using random flash drives, provide precise instructions for avoiding those dangers. Communicate this information to the company on a regular basis. Cyber thieves work fast to develop new attacks; you should work fast to keep pace.
- Make Training Continual and Vary Techniques – Like any set of good habits, best practices in individual cybersecurity need repetition and reinforcement to take root. Stage training sessions more than once a year, and conduct other activities in the interim, such as newsletters, alerts, security checks, etc.
Good cybersecurity training is available for businesses of all sizes, and curriculum has evolved to be entertaining, engaging and even gamified – which helps the critical nature of your company’s security, resonate organization-wide.
Whatever your cyber security training requirements are, we’ve got you. Contact us for your free consultation – it’s a DLA member benefit!
We have scheduled three live events during the month of February and are limiting the capacity of each to 50 people so that the interactive portion of the event is optimized. These three live events will be held in the headquarters of Wells Fargo at 150 east 42nd Street NYC from 8:30am – 10:30am on February 5th, 14th and 26th.
To receive more information and to reserve your spot please fill out the form below. You can attend one, two or all three NYC events.