Texting scams are increasing in popularity these days. For those who don’t recognize them, they can cause serious damage to your personal and your business security. To make sure you and your team stay safe, here are some tips to help you stay ahead of the next big wave of cyber crime.
Educate and Enforce
A big part of your digital security mandate should be the education of employees around what security risks you all manage on a day to day basis. Consider creating a regular security newsletter or blog that can help employees stay up to date on the rapidly changing digital landscape. Include tips to help enable them to do their business in a way that is smart and risk aware. Make sure that all your employees are well trained in the use of their devices and know the data security risks might be more intuitive to your younger staff members. Make sure those who need training get training.
Enforcement of strong data security policies (even across multi-device workflows) is another critical step to keeping your employees and your data secure. Make sure you have a thoughtful use policy around personal apps. The U.S. National Institute of Standards and Technology has guidelines for vetting mobile apps which clearly lay out a process for ensuring that mobile apps comply with an organization’s mobile security requirement. It’s a great starting place for enterprises who require employees to stay connected on the go. But recognize that some vulnerable mobile apps are necessary to keep out of their environment. Enforcement is up to you.
Consider Providing Employees with “Work Only” Devices
It can be costly to provide staff with desktop and mobile devices. But it may be well worth the investment. Ensuring that employees are able to keep their personal app use to their personal devices provides a certain barrier that can help protect your data. But the inconvenience of managing two sets of devices can make this a challenge for some companies to enforce. But with education around the problem and investment in strong security measures can really make a difference to keep hackers at bay.
Don’t Blame the Apps or Devices
Apps or personal devices are often a source of risk. But they are not solely to blame for risky digital behavior. Businesses may expect app makers or software developers to lead the charge when it comes to security processes. But the truth is that the responsibility for your businesses data security rests in your hands. Keep in mind that it is developers who are least likely to be damaged by a hack or data security incident. It often falls on the users to take extra precautions to make sure they are doing their due diligence. That means employers need to know what their employees are doing to ensure a high level of security.
