Spring 2022 Hardlines Strategies

ASK THE EXPERT

Defending Your Business Cybersecurity Expert Offers Tips to Keep Your Operation Safe

Zarmeena Waseem, the director of cybersecurity education for the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), talks about the need for cybersecurity and incident prevention in businesses today. Read the following conversation to learn the basics about cyberattacks and ways you can manage data protection in your business. Plus, get expert insights for small businesses in regards to cybersystem security. Strategies (S): Why are cybersecurity incidents making headlines? Zarmeena Waseem (ZW): First off, while everyone works from home, people have more time to pay attention to the issue. Secondly, cyber incidents have gone up over 200 percent in the last year and a half. While gainfully employed since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. C yberattacks have increased significantly

retailers can do is stay informed and ensure that their security hygiene is where it needs to be. Joining mailing lists, watching informational webinars and using tip sheets regularly will keep retailers refreshed and up-to-date on cybersecurity. Retailers should also brush up on payment card industry (PCI) compliance. S: What is phishing and ransomware? ZW: Phishing is the tactic used by cybercriminals to establish ransomware. Criminals send a phishing link in an email or text and a person clicks the link or downloads an attachment, executing malware that is a form of ransomware. From there it can spread through your computer to computers in your network. S: Every staff member in a business has a role to play in cybersecurity, what can they do to help? ZW: Security is every single person’s responsibility. Don’t overlook or overestimate what your role is. It’s up to you to understand what you are handling and how it affects the security of your organization.

professionals and consumers are sitting at home, so are the cybercriminals who are coming up with more tactics to attack businesses and consumers. S: Are there incidents that have increased or specific groups that have become more vulnerable? ZW: There are certain groups in the general population that were more vulnerable and are being exploited more now. Senior citizens and people who are not tech or security savvy are being targeted more than they were in the past. There has been a huge increase in spam and phishing mail to people who do not know how to differentiate between real and fake emails. Instead of getting one phishing message a day, they are getting 10-16 messages. It is a numbers game; all it takes is one click. There will always be a percentage of people who are going to fall for the scams.

S:What is the risk for retailers? What should they consider doing to protect their businesses?

ZW: Ransomware and phishing messages are through the roof. The smartest thing

4 Spring 2022 • Hardlines Strategies