Do you need more evidence to be diligent in using best practices for security on the Internet?
Security attacks cost businesses and individual users in the trillions of dollars worldwide. Typically, the attacks result in financial losses from ransomware and theft.
There are also countless hidden and indirect costs in lost productivity and sales, recovery expenses in forensics and legal, reputational damage that affect consumer trust and stock values.
Worldwide, the average data breach cost nearly $5 million in 2024. Jaguar Land Rover’s cyber attack in 2023 cost $2.5 billion. In the U.S., cybercrime in the aggregate was estimated to cost $425.3 billion.
Common threats include malware, phishing, hacking, ransomware and identity theft.
“Readers should remain on alert to keep safe from attacks by following the following three basic rules,” writes nationally recognized security expert, Stan Stahl. Ph.D.
His basic rules:
1. Do not open attachments in emails unless the email is expected. Do not click on links in unexpected emails. Attachments and links can be booby-trapped. When in doubt check with the sender.
2. Keep systems updated with the latest software versions.
3. Keep anti-malware solutions up-to-date. Consider moving to advanced host-based intrusion prevention.
Dr. Stahl is respected for his expertise as a consultant and for his involvment in the CyberSecurity Community, for his newsletter, Stan’s Cybersecurity Corner, and he is active in the Information Systems Security Association.
His tips also includes using unique, complex passwords with a password manager, enabling multi-factor authentification, regularly backing up data, limiting personal info data on the Internet, and using secure connections (look for HTTPS desgination for each site).
WIFI warning
The most-read Biz Coach article of all time quoted Dr. Stahl’s security checklist for using Starbucks’ WIFI.
From the Coach’s Corner, here are more resource links:
Security Precautions to Take Following Citibank’s Second Reported Online Breach — Citibank’s admission that private information of 360,083 North American Citigroup credit card accounts was stolen by hackers in 2011, which affected 210,000 customers, serves as a warning for all businesses and consumers to take precautionary steps. The bank’s May 2011 security breach wasn’t reported until weeks later. Originally, Citibank said 200,000 accounts were affected.
How to Protect Your Bank Account from the Internet Crime Wave — For Citibank customers and millions of other consumers who enjoy the convenience of online banking, a headline about Internet crime was alarming.
Why Many Healthcare Workers Are Responsible for Alarming Trend: Medical ID Theft— Medical identity theft is skyrocketing. It’s the fast-growing trend in ID thievery.
Lesson about Passwords after Theft of 16,000+ UCLA Patient Records — Unfortunately, we’ve learned another lesson about passwords at the expense of 16,288 patients who’ve been treated at UCLA’s network of hospitals and clinics. The patients’ sensitive information are in the wrong hands following a burglary of a doctor. The information was on the computer hard drive stolen from a doctor’s home.
“You can’t hold firewalls and intrusion detection systems accountable. You can only hold people accountable.”
-Daryl White
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