These common cyber security mistakes could get your company hacked.

With an estimated 90% of cyber attacks caused by human error or behavior, it’s important to understand the most common cyber security mistakes your employees are probably making and know how to mitigate them.

Becoming victims of phishing schemes

Stolen login credentials are the most common way hackers breach enterprise systems, and most of the time, these credentials are stolen through a phishing scheme. A highly targeted variant of phishing, called spear phishing or business email compromise, is used to convince employees to wire money or send sensitive data, such as W2 information, to cyber criminals.

Avoid having your employees make this cyber security mistake by educating them about the warning signs of a phishing scheme. Organizations must also establish policies against sending sensitive data through email, ensure that employees have access only to the systems and data they need to do their jobs, and add redundancy into payment approval processes, especially wire transfers.

Mistakes involving login credentials

This is a broad category of cyber security mistakes that includes:

• Using weak passwords
• Not using multi-factor authentication whenever possible
• Reusing passwords
• Sharing login credentials
• Writing credentials down and leaving them in public areas, such as sticky notes in the work area
• Leaving a terminal unattended without logging out first

Most of these security mistakes can be avoided through employee education on the dangers of not keeping login credentials secure. Organizations can also employ technical measures to force login sessions to automatically time out when a terminal is inactive, require the use of MFA, and automatically generate strong passwords.

Using shadow IT software and services

Over three-quarters of employees admit to using shadow IT software and services at the workplace. Most of the time, their intentions are not malicious. They are simply trying to do their jobs better, and they do not realize how dangerous shadow IT can be to security and compliance. Employee education is the best way to head off this security mistake. Technical tools can also be employed to ferret out shadow IT apps.

Inserting “mystery” devices into workplace computers

A common social engineering tactic is for hackers to leave USB thumb drives and other plugin devices in public areas where employees will find them. Sometimes, the devices will have labels meant to entice employees to want to covertly access them, such as “Q4 Performance Reviews” or indicating that the device contains pornographic content. Employees must be educated about the dangers of making this security mistake.

Making security mistakes when using public WiFi

Free public WiFi networks are ubiquitous, found everywhere from fast-food restaurants to aboard trains. Remote workers and employees who frequently travel for business often take advantage of public WiFi to work on the go. As with shadow IT apps, this is usually because of a security mistake, not maliciousness or negligence; employees don’t realize how dangerous public WiFi is. In addition to educating employees on best practices when accessing public WiFi networks, organizations should provide VPN access to all employees who work remotely.

Not protecting computers and other IoT devices

This security mistake involves physical protection as well as password protection. In a recent survey, over half of working adults admitted to allowing friends and family to access devices given to them by their employers. Employees who travel for work may also leave devices unattended in public areas or hotel rooms or allow strangers to “borrow” their smart phones.

Employees who travel need to be educated about best cyber practices when traveling. Organizations should ensure that these employees’ devices are protected with strong passwords, multi-factor authentication, or a biometric lock. If possible, have disposable phones and laptops on hand to loan to employees for travel purposes. If an employee must travel with a device that contains sensitive data, make sure the device is encrypted.

The cyber security experts at Continuum GRC have deep knowledge of the cyber security field, are continually monitoring the latest information security threats, and are committed to protecting your organization from security breaches. Continuum GRC offers full-service and in-house risk assessment and risk management subscriptions, and we help companies all around the world sustain proactive cyber security programs.

Continuum GRC is proactive cyber security®. Call 1-888-896-6207 to discuss your organization’s cyber security needs and find out how we can help your organization protect its systems and ensure compliance.

Chinese hackers have successfully breached contractors for the U.S. Navy, according to WSJ report.

The years-long Marriott Starwood database breach was almost certainly the work of nation-state hackers sponsored by China, likely as part of a larger campaign by Chinese hackers to breach health insurers and government security clearance files, The New York Times reports. Why would foreign spies be so interested in the contents of a hotel’s guest database? Turns out “Marriott is the top hotel provider for American government and military personnel.” The Starwood database contained a treasure trove of highly detailed information about these personnel’s movements around the world.

Chinese hackers didn’t stop there. According to a report published in the Wall Street Journal last week, nation-state hackers sponsored by China have successfully breached numerous third-party contractors working for the U.S. Navy on multiple occasions over the past 18 months. The data stolen included highly classified information about advanced military technology currently under development, including “secret plans to build a supersonic anti-ship missile planned for use by American submarines.” The WSJ noted that hackers specifically targeted third-party federal contractors because many are small firms that lack the financial resources to invest in robust cyber security defenses.

In testimony before a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing, FBI counterintelligence division head E.W. “Bill” Priestap Wednesday called cyberespionage on the part of Chinese hackers the “most severe” threat to American security, citing the country’s “relentless theft of U.S. assets” in an effort to “supplant [the United States] as the world’s superpower.”

Inconsistent security practices leave U.S. Ballistic Missile Defense System vulnerable to cyber attacks

While the Navy has been hit particularly hard, the entire U.S. government, including all branches of the military, are under constant threats of cyber attack from Chinese hackers and other nation-state actors – and they’re ill-prepared to fend off these attacks. Around the same time the Marriott Starwood breach was disclosed, the Defense Department Office of Inspector General (OIG) released an audit report citing inconsistent security practices at DoD facilities, including facilities managed by third-party contractors, that store technical information on the nation’s ballistic missile defense system (BMDS). The report described failures to enact basic security measures, such as:

• Requiring the use of multifactor authentication to access BMDS technical information
• Identifying and mitigating known network vulnerabilities
• Locking server racks
• Protecting and monitoring classified data stored on removable media
• Encrypting BMDS technical information transmission
• Implementing intrusion detection capabilities on classified networks
• Requiring written justification to obtain and elevate system access for users
• Consistently implementing physical security controls to limit unauthorized access to facilities that manage BMDS technical information

Cyber security problems abound among DoD and other federal contractors

The OIG report comes on the heels of another the office issued earlier this year, citing security problems specifically at contractor-run military facilities. The WSJ report on Chinese hackers implied that inadequate security is the norm, not the exception, at federal contractors and subcontractors, citing an intelligence official who described military subcontractors as “lagging behind in cybersecurity and frequently [suffering] breaches” that impact not just the military branch they work for, but also other branches.

In theory, military contractors shouldn’t be having these problems. Most federal contractors must comply with the strict security controls outlined in NIST 800-171, and DoD contractors must comply with DFARS 800-171. DoD contractors were required to, at minimum, have a “system security plan” in place by December 31, 2017. However, many small and mid-sized organizations missed the December 31 deadline, often because they felt they did not have the resources to comply. However, continued non-compliance puts these vendors’ contracts at risk of cancellation, as well as national security at risk from Chinese hackers and other cyber criminals.

It’s not too late to begin compliance efforts. If your agency starts working towards compliance now, you can demonstrate that you have a plan to comply and are making progress with it to your prime contractor, subcontractor, or DoD contracting officer.

Affordable DFARS 800-171 compliance services are available for small and mid-sized federal contractors

Continuum GRC’s IT Audit Machine (ITAM) greatly simplifies the compliance process and significantly cuts the time and costs involved, putting NIST 800-171 and DFARS 800-171 compliance within reach of small and mid-sized organizations. Additionally, Continuum GRC has partnered with Gallagher Affinity to offer small and mid-sized federal contractors affordable packages that combine cyber and data breach insurance coverage with NIST 800-171 and DFARS 800-171 compliance services.

The cyber security experts at Continuum GRC have deep knowledge of the cyber security field, are continually monitoring the latest information security threats, and are committed to protecting your organization from security breaches. Continuum GRC offers full-service and in-house risk assessment and risk management subscriptions, and we help companies all around the world sustain proactive cyber security programs.

Continuum GRC is proactive cyber security®. Call 1-888-896-6207 to discuss your organization’s cyber security needs and find out how we can help your organization protect its systems and ensure compliance.

Hackers love it when businesses believe in these common cyber security myths. Let’s debunk them.

Like other criminals, hackers take advantage of people’s misconceptions regarding their risk of being victimized. Here are six common cyber security myths that could be putting your enterprise at risk.

Security Myth #1: Compliance Equals Cyber Security

Compliance with regulatory and industry standards such as HIPAA and PCI DSS can be complex, time-consuming, and costly, especially if companies must comply with multiple standards. Many organizations focus nearly exclusively on compliance, thinking that if they are compliant, they have done enough to protect against cyber attacks. This is a cyber security myth. Compliance standards outline only a minimum set of baseline procedures and protocols that provide a starting point for enterprise data security. They are not a substitute for comprehensive, proactive cyber security and integrated risk management.

Security Myth #2: Hackers Don’t Target Small Companies

Sometimes, small enterprises will skimp on cyber security, thinking that hackers are interested only in breaching very large companies. This cyber security myth is easily debunked: Nearly 60% of data breach victims are small businesses. There are several reasons for this, including:

• Hackers know that many small businesses don’t have robust cyber security and view them as easy targets.
• Many small businesses provide B2B services to large organizations, and hackers specifically target these third-party vendors to steal data belonging to their much larger business partners.
• Orchestrating a cyber attack no longer requires a great deal of skill or money. Inexpensive, easy-to-use malware-as-a-service and cybercrime-as-a-service offerings are a booming business. For example, DDoS attacks can be purchased for as little as $10.00. This low entry barrier means that cyber criminals don’t have to go after high-value targets to turn a profit.

Security Myth #3: “HTTPS” Means That a Website Is Legitimate

The HTTPS URL prefix, which some browsers denote with a green padlock, simply means that the site owner has procured an SSL certificate, and any data transmitted between your browser and the site is encrypted. Anyone can buy an SSL certificate or get one for free. Just because a site has an SSL certificate does not mean it is a legitimate website, or even that it’s secure. Unfortunately, many people don’t realize this (the green padlock doesn’t help), and hackers are capitalizing on the confusion: Half of all phishing sites now sport SSL certificates, up from only 25% just a year ago.

An SSL certificate is also not a guarantee of cyber security. HTTPS is much safer than HTTP, but it can still be hacked. Additionally, just like there’s a lot more to securing an enterprise than achieving compliance, there’s a lot more to securing a website than getting an SSL certificate.

Security Myth #4: Not All Employees Need Cyber Security Training

The average employee’s knowledge of basic cyber hygiene is severely lacking. Over 60% of working adults don’t know what ransomware is, and over half of workers whose employers provide them with IoT devices allow friends and family to use them.

Some organizations think that only certain employees need to be trained on cyber hygiene, such as IT employees or privileged users. The reality is that hackers frequently target lower-level employees, usually through social engineering schemes, to get a beachhead into a system, then work their way up to privileged users. Any employee who accesses a computer or an IoT device at work needs to be trained on basic cyber hygiene. In today’s digital world, that’s nearly everyone; even retail and food-service cashiers use POS systems.

Security Myth #5: Strong Passwords Provide Adequate Security Against Credential Theft

A major topic at tech giant Microsoft’s 2018 Ignite conference was getting rid of passwords; the company used the occasion to introduce a new tool to allow passwordless logins to Azure AD-connected apps. Passwords, even strong ones, are no longer enough to ensure enterprise cyber security. One-quarter of employees admit to using the same password for all their accounts, at home and at work, and stolen account credentials are hackers’ preferred way to break into enterprise systems. Enterprises need to switch to multi-factor authentication (MFA) whenever possible.

Security Myth #6: Air-Gapped Systems Don’t Need Additional Cyber Security

Air gapping, also known as “security by isolation,” is common in manufacturing facilities, other industrial environments, utilities, and critical infrastructure. Some compliance frameworks require operational technology (OT) systems to be air-gapped. However, air gapping alone does not sufficiently secure systems; the infamous Stuxnet virus is only one example of an air-gapped system being breached.

The cyber security experts at Continuum GRC have deep knowledge of the cyber security field, are continually monitoring the latest information security threats, and are committed to protecting your organization from security breaches. Continuum GRC offers full-service and in-house risk assessment and risk management subscriptions, and we help companies all around the world sustain proactive cyber security programs.

Continuum GRC is proactive cyber security®. Call 1-888-896-6207 to discuss your organization’s cyber security needs and find out how we can help your organization protect its systems and ensure compliance.