cyber trends
MEMBERS OF THE C-SUITE
ARE SIX TIMES MORE LIKELY
TO BE A TARGET OF SOCIAL-
ENGINEERING THAN THEY WERE
ONLY A YEAR AGO, A VERIZON REPORT
INVESTIGATING DATA BREACHES ACROSS
180 COUNTRIES, HAS FOUND. ULTIMATELY,
EXECUTIVES MUST IMPROVE THEIR
CYBERTHREAT LANDSCAPE AND MAKE
EMPLOYEES AWARE OF THE IMPACT
OF CYBERCRIME TO AVOID
FURTHER ATTACKS.
C
-level executives
who have access
to a company’s
most sensitive
information
are now the
major focus for
social engineering attacks, alerts the
Verizon 2019 Data Breach Investigations
Report. Senior executives are 12 times
more likely to be the target of social
incidents and nine times more likely to
be the target of social breaches than in
previous years – and financial motivation
remains the key driver. Financially-
motivated social engineering attacks
(12% of all data breaches analysed)
are a key topic in this year’s report,
highlighting the critical need to ensure
all levels of employees are made aware
of the potential impact of cybercrime.
“Enterprises are increasingly using
edge-based applications to deliver
credible insights and experience.
18
C-suite beware:
You are the
latest targets of
cybercrime, Verizon
report warns
Supply chain data, video and other
critical – often personal – data will be
assembled and analysed at eye-blink
speed, changing how applications
utilise secure network capabilities,”
said George Fischer, President of
Verizon Global Enterprise. “Security
must remain front and centre when
implementing these new applications
and architectures. Technical IT hygiene
and network security are table stakes
when it comes to reducing risk. It all
begins with understanding your risk
posture and the threat landscape so you
can develop and action a solid plan to
protect your business against the reality
of cybercrime. Knowledge is power and
Verizon’s DBIR offers organisations large
and small a comprehensive overview of
the cyberthreat landscape today so
they can quickly develop effective
defence strategies.”
A successful pretexting attack on senior
executives can reap large dividends as
a result of their – often unchallenged
Issue 15
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