Hackers Harm Businesses More Than Ever | IT Experts Munich

Not Even the Headquarters of the US Democrats Are Safe from Leaks

Recent reports on internet crime within the ranks of the US Democrats show how little is still being done, even when dealing with highly sensitive confidential data, to protect it properly. Apart from the fact that more than 20,000 emails were hacked and partly published both at the party headquarters and at the Democrats’ campaign headquarters, further cyberattacks occurred in June and August. During these attacks, Democratic research on Clinton rival Donald Trump was spied on and partly published, while private mobile phone numbers and email addresses of almost 200 parliamentarians were posted online at Wikileaks. While the publication of private data is of course “only” personally unpleasant and such security leaks reveal with embarrassing precision how poorly even the highest offices are still protected against hackers, the content of the emails was considerably more delicate. They showed that Hillary Clinton was favoured internally within the party and that her rival for the presidential nomination, Bernie Sanders, was to be pushed aside through targeted disruptive manoeuvres.

 

Our IT security experts and IT forensic specialists in Munich are observing the current situation in the USA with concern, also with regard to the interests of German citizens and companies. This is particularly due to the explosive nature of the information that might be released through further attacks and could significantly harm not only the party and its members, but also the American economy and politics as a whole. Even though it can be assumed that both the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee (DCCC) are working with IT specialists to ensure the security and confidentiality of their data, the continuing cyberattacks clearly show that a great deal of work still lies ahead for American IT professionals. Naturally, this data is not only of national but even international interest, which motivates some of the world’s best hackers to try to obtain it. But does the rule really apply that the larger the target, the more likely a hacker attack becomes? Am I safe as a small or medium-sized business and therefore do not need to worry about IT security? Far from it! While interest in internationally operating large corporations is of course increased by their fame and the value of their information, smaller and medium-sized companies are also attractive targets for hackers and internet criminals because of the innovations that keep them competitive on the market. At the same time, they are relatively easy victims, as most companies do not place sufficient value on adequate security precautions. Our IT Service in Munich assists both companies and private individuals, either preventively or after damage has already occurred: +49 89 7007 4301.

Sharp Rise in Internet Crime: 48 Per Cent More Attacks Than in 2012

The Global State of Information Security Survey, the largest of its kind conducted in 2014, reveals what our IT specialists in Munich experience week after week during their assignments: attacks on internal company data and information are increasing relentlessly due to the ever-growing focus on the digital world and all the positive as well as negative side effects that come with it. The study was carried out by PwC in 154 countries with 9,800 IT managers from all industries and shows that all over the world, but particularly in economically strong countries such as Germany (represented in the study by 434 companies), the “commodity” of information and innovation is becoming increasingly attractive and desirable for criminals. Every single day, 117,330 hacker attacks are registered worldwide – 48 per cent more than the year before and even 66 per cent more than in 2009!

 

Surprisingly, although the surveyed IT managers are aware of the growing threat posed by the World Wide Web, spending on IT security decreased by 4 per cent compared with the previous year. This percentage may not seem dramatic, but it says a great deal about a misguided trend according to which companies attempt to maximise their profits – supposedly – by minimising expenses. Our IT experts in Munich can already predict today that this approach is a mistake and leads companies down the wrong path, which will ultimately cause serious problems. The damage inflicted on companies digitally often results in far-reaching consequences. Many businesses remain competitive on the market solely because of their innovations and unique selling points; however, if hacker attacks cause confidential corporate strategies, construction plans, product designs or similar information to be lost or fall into the hands of competitors, the affected companies lose the very foundation on which their business is built.

Prevention Is Better Than Cure – IT Specialists in Munich Develop Security Concepts

In order to protect internal company data and confidential information, it is essential that IT experts such as those in our department IT Forensics | IT Security Munich are deployed in your company to search for vulnerabilities, data leaks and potential risks. If such problem areas are identified, our IT specialists will work to eliminate them and develop cost-efficient, innovative security concepts to safeguard the company against external threats. Furthermore, employees must also receive training in IT security. Careless sharing and sending of data via Dropbox or other so-called data clouds, for example, can lead to data being intercepted and hacked even in an almost perfectly secured company. Regular training and transparent security concepts help to reduce unintentionally leaked data volumes to a minimum and thus strengthen the company as a whole.

 

Many companies are now also taking out insurance against cybercrime, but the reputational damage that a company may suffer from a hacker attack can hardly be compensated by money. Particularly in Europe, the aforementioned Global State of Information Security Survey records a rapid increase in attacks: compared with the previous year, 41 per cent more cases of internet attacks were detected. Unfortunately, given the declining expenditure in the IT sector, this is not due to improved security measures but rather to a higher number of attacks and an ever-increasing professionalisation of the perpetrators.

IT Security Experts in Munich Ready for Action at Any Time

If your company is not yet sufficiently protected against cyberattacks and hacker assaults, or if you suspect that confidential data may already have leaked, contact our IT forensic specialists and IT security experts in Munich free of charge. We will thoroughly examine your company or your private devices and develop a comprehensive security concept: kontakt@it-forensik-it-sicherheit.de. We are also available in an advisory capacity and can train your employees in the safe handling of the internet and company data, helping to protect your organisation against attacks from outside (or even from within) and thereby secure your position in the market. Contact the Kurtz IT Service Munich at the following number: +49 89 7007 4301.

Author: Maya Grünschloß, PhD

 

Kurtz Detective Agency Munich

Department IT Service: IT Forensics and IT Security

Lindenstraße 12a

81545 München

Tel.: +49 89 7007 4301 

E-Mail: kontakt@it-forensik-it-sicherheit.de

Web: https://www.it-forensik-it-sicherheit.de/en