Organizations need to do more to prevent themselves
from experiencing data breaches, as many people are of the opinion that not
enough is currently being done.
This according to a new report from the Internet Society, which found that 59% of
users would be reluctant to do business with an enterprise that had been
compromised.
The paper was keen to highlight how damaging a data
breach can be. Not only does it negatively affect the organization that has
been attacked, it also impacts on its employees and consumers.
Moreover, it damages the way people think about
technology. As Michael Kende, the author of the report, noted, “the ultimate
casualty is trust in the internet”.
“Without trust, those
online are less likely to entrust their personal information to the internet,
and, those who are not yet online will have a reason to stay offline.”
“The vision of the Internet Society is that the
internet is for everyone, everywhere,” he stated.
“Trust in the internet is at the core of that
vision. Without trust, those online are less likely to entrust their personal
information to the internet, and, those who are not yet online will have a
reason to stay offline.”
One of the most interesting points raised by the
paper concerns the seeming lack of investment from businesses in information
security, said Kende, an economist and internet society fellow.
He added that while many appreciate the seriousness
of data breaches, organizations are “not doing everything they could to
prevent” them from happening.
To help change this, the Internet Society has come
up with some recommendations on what can be done to boost cybersecurity
efforts.
This includes making organizations more accountable
for data breaches, making information security a priority and increasing
transparency around security incidents around the world.
“Up-to-date security systems, usable security, and
awareness on how to deal with threats and social engineering are needed for
reducing the opportunities for data breaches and device compromise,” commented
Olaf Kolkman, chief internet technology officer at the Internet Society.
“The report shows that as much as 93% of all breaches
could have been avoided if the correct measures were put in place.”
A study from earlier this year revealed that many IT professionals
are not confident that they would be able to protect data in the event of a
successful attack.