WHAT DOES IP STAND FOR?
We live in a world full of acronyms – or so it seems!
IP can mean Internet Protocol – i.e. the standard coding technology that allows all connected devices from your computer to Voice calls over Internet Protocol (VoIP) to the millions of sensors which monitor air quality, legionella, and temperature (to name but a few) to report over the internet.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
All of the above is also another type of IP – Intellectual Property. This type of IP can be anything of value to your company in terms of working assets. If you are supplying widgets that you have designed, and no one can duplicate this without falling foul of the law (if you have the right paperwork in place proving you have developed the design and processes and is now your IP).
We have become somewhat complacent in the way we handle the latter IP.
Take emails for example, we send out sensitive information, drawings, legal documents and customer correspondence to include bank details and other requirements by Email every single day without thinking about it.
Now, imaging if that email gets intercepted (and this DOES happen and in happening RIGHT NOW!) and now masses amount of data and company information is in the hands of cyber criminals.
GDPR & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
Don’t forget GDPR if your SERVER gets hacked and your company ‘stores’ payment information from your customers.
Carrying copies of documents on standard USB data devices (sticks and portable hard-drives) is also a big no-no!
Recently, one of our customers reported receiving an email from a legitimate contact and from the title on the email didn’t see anything wrong at first.
They opened the email and promptly deleted it as clearly if was ‘spoof’ email as the language used was incorrect for that person and the email contained a rogue link – DON’T CLICK THE LINK- EVER!
Under some queries that we can run in the IT industry, it showed that the mail had come from the company’s Email SERVER and not by actual ‘spoofing / impersonation’.
That was just one case last and there are hundreds of hacking stories weekly.
STAYING SECURE
So, how do we reduce the chances of email fraud and increase our security?
There is only one way – by trusting the right security vendor. You may think that trusting yet another ‘third’ party is contrary to the whole security issue so consult your own IT department, or your IT partner to engage and check out the credentials of these new breed of cyber security vendors (who phone me daily to check out / trial their products and to ultimately take out to market as a reseller).
It is our duty to you in our industry to advise you the correct (as can be) products and services that are currently on the market and what may be coming up that is beneficial to the data security for your business.
MAXIMUM NETWORKS
Get in touch with the Maximum Networks team team today on 0330 102 7444 or using our contact form