Benefits of HR in Mitigating Cyber Security Threats

It is very well known fact that the more than 70% of cyber crimes are carried out by internal team members of the company. Such internal threats and attacks create huge losses for the companies. This risk has increased at very high level due to WFH environment. Below are some cases to highlight the same:

• One reputed company’s online meeting is recorded by one of the disgruntled directors without permission. Recordings were made public using fake social media accounts.

• One developer of an IT company illegally copies all source code files of different projects while working from home due to lockdown.

Cybersecurity law is still at its nascent stage in India, and several companies have started implementing measures to curtail this issue.

While some people believe that a strong IT team is needed, others point towards an effective HR to overcome this issue. Techno-Legal Advisory firms advise companies to strengthen HR department with professional techno-legal preventive practices.

To understand this in detail, let’s know how HR teams can help in minimising cyberattack threats:

1. Two is better than one

The HR and IT departments together can act as a shield to protect from cybercriminals. For this, you need a company-wide framework that combines technology, HR policies and procedures to help employees understand their roles and responsibilities.

2. Help in highlighting company policies and procedures

HR can frame employee control policy for employees to access their rights as a part of the onboarding process and revoke it whenever they leave the company.

Use strong passwords and bring in a process to allocate secret authentication information to users.

Also, consider the use of mobile devices and remote working. Make sure you have your security measures in place to protect all your company information. All your policies and procedures should be dependent on your company’s circumstances. Reach out to the top cyber law consultants to help you with the same.

3. Educate staff through cybersecurity training

A cybersecurity law training can make your employees aware of their security and data protection rules, policies and procedures. It should be an onboarding process wherein the staff should receive updates daily.

Staff members at all levels should have a particular duty of care to protect employees’ data, directors and client information. If you wish to learn individually, then join our certification courses.

4. Help in detecting threats

It’s advisable to detect threats at an early stage. HR teams should have an emergency plan to combat data breach or such issues. They should have procedures for breach detection for a smooth process.

Employees should’ve all the necessary records for compliance purposes so that they’re able to take steps to minimise security risk.

5. Incorporate skills

Cybersecurity professionals should be acquainted with new technology and cyber threats emerging every day. They should have the right skills to handle situations promptly. HR must assess the organisation’s cybersecurity competency and individual cybersecurity skills.

It would be best to prepare training programs and develop the capabilities of their employees.

CLS offers training program on Cyber Laws and HR Management Practices for HR Managers to help you overcome various HR issues of data theft, source code misuse, client poaching, etc. In this program, you will be equipped with all the controls regarding combating cyber frauds and legal remedies for HR under the Indian cyber laws.

We, CLS-Cyberra Legal Services are a premier organisation in cyberlaw advisory, cybercrime consultancy, cyber law compliance audit, information security consulting, cybersecurity services, cyber forensics services and cyber training (law, security & forensics). Learn from the best cyber law consultants today!

COVID-19: Small Businesses are More Vulnerable to Cyber Frauds!

The large corporations and multinationals have built robust resilience to cyber frauds, and threats, however small businesses or startups need to pull up their socks and remain wide-awake.

Small businesses contribute immensely to the economic growth of India. Nearly, there are 42.50 million of small businesses in India with the employment opportunity rising by 40%. Thus, the contribution of small businesses is profound.

India experienced a 37% increase in cyberattacks in the Q1 of 2020 as compared to the Q4 of 2019. Moreover, India ranked 27th globally in the number of web threats in the Q1 of 2020. Earlier, in Q4 of 2019, India ranked 32nd globally.

Why are small businesses and startups an easy target for a cyber attack?

• The pandemic COVID-19 has impacted the economy and businesses globally. In this scenario, the worst affected in these crises are the small businesses and startups as they lack financial resources.

• It’s a setback for small businesses and startups, due to the rising threat of cyber frauds and data breaches.

• As enterprises are storing confidential information and data in cloud services, the demand for even more complex security practices and strategies has also increased. Talking about small businesses, they often lack the required resources and security policies to protect themselves against cyber frauds, hence making them easy targets for hackers.

• The foremost concern for businesses is intellectual property data and security of customer information.

• Considering threats related to data leakage, targeted ransomware attacks, DDoS attacks, etc., companies will need to allocate their budgets appropriately to build a robust security infrastructure. If your business is facing any specific issue which needs inspection from cyber fraud in Ahmedabad, then Cyberra Legal Services (CLS) is the right place for you.

What can small businesses do to battle against cyber fraud?

• Small businesses and startups need to embrace the new normal – ‘work from home’ and draw strategies against cyber frauds and data breaches.

• It is recommended that enterprises should provide laptops or computer devices to employees to work from home. This will assure certain security controls such as anti-virus, security patches, disabling unwanted services/applications etc.

• Enterprises should make it a compulsion regarding equipment used for the company’s purpose must have anti-malware, firewall software installed and anti-spyware; to catch and eliminate threats that can become troublesome.

• Cybercriminals are aware of the fact that maximum information is transferred through video conferences and emails. Hence, employees should be educated to stay more alert and report to the system security team if they find anything suspicious.

• Passwords shouldn’t be kept the same for multiple platforms, and it should be changed often. Also, the use of a password manager is essential to prevent passwords from being leaked while using emails or other complex applications.

• Businesses should be cautious with sharing financial transactions, and one should not share bank account details, username, password, OTP, PIN, debit or credit card number, CVV and expiry date, etc.

Related blog: WFH is the new normal: What techno-legal practices can enterprises adapt to safeguard themselves from the data breach?

In today’s digital world, cybersecurity is a necessity for any scale organization be it – small, medium and large enterprises. The smaller businesses may be more in risk to cyber attacks as they have fewer resources and less budget. Hence, with the help of a reliable and experienced company, you can safeguard your business from cyber frauds.

We, at Cyberra Legal Services (CLS) specialized in cybersecurity consultancy, cyber law audit and inspection of cyber fraud in Ahmedabad would help in the implementation of the early detection method. This would help small businesses to remain better equipped and take proactive actions while staying a few steps ahead in business operations.

3 Ways to Protect Small Businesses from Cyber Attacks

Using the Internet for business can have its own benefits, but you cannot ignore the high risk of data breaches and scams that have adversely affected small businesses.

The Verizon 2019 Data Breach Investigations report suggests that 43% of cyber attacks target small business owing to lack of knowledge and resources. Thus, it is advisable to invest in better digital security to combat cyber attacks.

Techno Legal Services share their views on the importance of cybersecurity for small businesses. Head down to know more from the best cyberlaw consultant in India.

All businesses are vulnerable to cyber attacks

Businesses hugely rely on technology to make their work easy and effective. It’s not just with small businesses, but even leading big MNCs are always in news due to constant cyber attacks. These situations cannot be stopped, but it can be hampered if you are well aware and alert.

Many SMEs are fined for leaving itself vulnerable to hackers. These are just some of the many cases that have been able to make noise.

But, you need to be aware that no business is too small to be at the risk of a cybersecurity attack. To avoid such situations, speak to a professional cyberlaw consultant.

What should be done at your end so that you don’t fall prey to malicious attacks? Here you go.

3 ways to safeguard yourself from cybersecurity threats

• Acquaint yourself with the latest cybersecurity threats

As per the 2019 Cost of a Data Breach Report, the global average total cost of the data breach was USD 3.92 million (about ₹27.03 crores) with the average size of the breach being 25,575 records.

In India, the per capita cost per lost or stolen record was at ₹5,019, compared USD 150 per record globally.

Data breaches are on the rise due to loss of the website, files, system or website corruption wherein hackers send virus and malware enveloped in fraudulent emails that steal all your data and credentials.

The mantra is to be aware of the latest threats and take preventive measures to overcome this situation.

In line with the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), India has given the nod to the Personal Data Protection Bill, which will build up a system for the treatment of personal data. The bill contains strict regulations on the collection, storage and handling of personal data, including the compensation, punishments and implicit rules.

• Protect your business from data leaks

Data leaks are one of the most rampant threats to cybersecurity as it can destroy the business and ruin its reputation. Every company has its own share of ‘confidential’ data, including customer insights and employee data. Hackers are always on the run to steal such sensitive information.

Businesses should limit the amount of personal information made available in the public domain. You can set up a burner email (a dummy email account used when signing up for a site).

Whenever you find something suspicious, generate random emails so that your real email address is safe. The best thing is that any forwards or replies will be sent directly to the real email address.

• Never compromise on cybersecurity

Such attacks will result in huge financial loss. Not only this, there will be legal consequences that need to be dealt with in the aftermath. Make sure all your employees are provided with the latest updates of cyber threats and given basic training to curb it.

Techno Legal Services helps in drafting all types of Techno-legal agreements for various emerging technologies based businesses like web, apps, e-commerce, etc. We are well known cyber law consultants providing an end-to-end solution to all cyber-related issues.

5 reasons why you need to keep your software updated

It might be easy to skip regular software updates that pop up on your laptop screen but the more you delay it, the more your device gets prone to cybercrime. These hackers get into your system and may misuse your personal information that may lead to bigger crimes like theft.

Cybersecurity is becoming a day-to-day struggle with drastically increasing numbers of hackers and breached data that are common in the workplace and IoT (Internet of Things).

As per statistics :

In 2017, the average number of breached records by country was 24,089. The nation with the most breaches annually was India with over 33K files followed by U.S.A with 28.5K – as per the Ponemon Institutes 2017 Cost of Data Breach Study.

These numbers are rapidly increasing with newer threats emerging every day. With this, the average expenditures on cybercrime are continuously skyrocketing which are increasing the cybercrime investigation in India.

This was a bit too much! Don’t worry as this blog will provide you with 5 reasons required to keep your software updated such that you don’t fall in their prey.

Say yes to software update and no to cybercrime!

1. Benefits of software update

A timely software update may help in repairing security holes that can be discovered early and fixed at the latest. It helps in removing bugs and can also add new features by regularly updating your computer, laptop, tablet and mobile.

Keep your device updated with the latest version which is the best idea to get rid of these online burglars!

2. Aids in repairing security flaws

That’s where they catch you! Hackers are in search of security flaws which is also known as software vulnerabilities. There are flaws present in the software or operating system, hackers take advantage of these flaws by writing code and bring malware into the system.

With this, the hacker can control your computer and encrypt your personal files. So, it is advisable you update your software to keep hackers at bay!

3. Enables privacy

Our devices are a storehouse for personal information from important company emails to personal bank details. Update your software on a regular basis to protect your belongings from cybercriminals. Hackers can sell your details to the dark web and may even misuse your name while committing crimes.

There can be issues wherein you might need cybercrime consultants or cyber law advisors.

4. Stops spreading it

Once you get infected by viruses, it is obvious you may pass it to another person via file sharing. Thus, if your device is secure, there is no worry. Keep your device updated which will automatically reduce the risk of cybercrime. But make sure when you take files from others your device needs to have antivirus!

5. Enjoy better user experience

Updating should be a regular ritual to keep your devices safe and stable. It also improves the stability of your device by introducing more speed and better performance. Crashing would be a thing of the past if you don’t hit the update option asap!

Say ‘No’ to Hackers!

For smooth functioning of your laptops, tablets or smartphones, keep your devices updated using a sustainable antivirus which is a must!

Techno legal consultants provide detailed cybercrime investigation in India by experienced cyber law consultants.

Infiltration and its Types

With every update in the cyber world, accessing data about anything and everything has become simpler by using the internet. And with this, the risks have skyrocketed. Cyber laws are being updated to help the victims of cybercrime as well.

Infiltration has become a common practice. But that doesn’t mean you or your startup should become the victim of a trend that may ruin your business. You can always turn to legal advice for startups.

What is infiltration?

Cyber experts say that the malicious software developed by hackers to get into the users’ computer systems to steal and misuse data is known as infiltration.

There are quite a few ways in which your company computers may be infiltrated.

• Viruses – They corrupt existing files on your computer. They may be able to delete files stored on the hard drive. They will generally attack your executable files and documents. Viruses open before the original document and start working its magic and once they’re done, they let your original file open. By now it’s too late for you to do anything, so cyber experts say that it’s better to format the files affected by viruses.

• Worms – They spread via networks. They can replicate in no time and spread as soon as they come in contact with the internet. Unlike a virus, worms can slow down your system and degrade the performance. Worms can cause other types of infiltrations or contain other malicious codes, so it is advisable that the infected files be deleted. Worms will spread via your interconnected computer system and send back crucial information to the attackers, cyber experts say.

• Trojan Horses – A very generalised term used for infiltrations that don’t fall under any specific category. The sub-categories may include: Keylogger sends each keystroke to attackers; Backdoor lets attackers gain access to your computer and control it; Downloader lets other infiltrations be downloaded through the internet; etc.

• Rootkits – Concealed malicious programs that will allow attackers into your system. It becomes impossible for the antivirus to detect them since they use functions that are built into the system.

• Adware – It is an advertising-supported software. These will automatically pop up new windows related to advertises and change the home page browser. If this was all Adware was responsible for, it wouldn’t be a problem. But adware does more than that, it may be tracking functions for online programs. A lot of times adware will use the legal route to infiltrate your device by making you accept its terms and conditions. In such cases, cyber laws won’t be able to help you.

• Spyware – They send users’ private information without the consent or the knowledge of the user. The spyware may be able to access important codes such as ATM pins, bank account details or security codes. While using a free program, a window opens suggesting the presence of spyware with the option to use a paid version in order to avoid the spyware infiltration.

You’ll know if your computer has been infiltrated when modifications are made in the registry entries which will lead to a slower running computer. Cyber experts say that the network speed will reduce considerably as more malicious programs will be downloaded through your network. Rouge files may be installed randomly which would suggest that there has been an infiltration.

Cyber experts advise users to delete any file affected by any of the above-mentioned infiltrations.

If you’re a startup company, chances are that you are at a higher risk of being infiltrated and have your company secrets stolen. Legal advice for startups is available at Techno Legal Consultants.

Why Businesses Should Invest In Cyber Insurance?

Online marketing is flourishing the companies, but it has also opened portals for cyber attacks and frauds. It can be debilitating for the industry and can cause moderate to severe losses. As part of a risk management plan, organisations must invest in cyber insurance to be on a safe side.

Due to recent cyber mishaps, many companies are showing great interest in cyber insurance.

According to the study, 33% of companies in the U.S. purchase cyber insurance.

Getting cyber insurance can reimburse you in cases like:

First party loss

• The cost to reconstitute data or software that is deleted or corrupted

• Reduction in revenue and market price caused due to IP loss

• Investigation and response costs of the incident

Business interruption

• Lost profits or extra expenses incurred because of the unavailability of IT systems or data

• Loss of revenues due to to a security breach event, for example, loss of specific contracts or customers, or reduced transaction volumes

• Additional expenses sustained to restore data, the network or IT systems

Third party liability

• Cost of investigation and response during data breach or cyber attack

• Costs of providing a service to help administer the incident, including the costs of notifying customers; forensic investigations; customer credit monitoring; and public relations expertise to help mitigate reputational harm to you

• Defence costs affiliated with regulatory investigations

• Liability for death or injury

Cyber extortion

• Reimbursement to the experts employed to help you manage an extortion incident, pay ransom demands and restore affected systems

Cyber fraud

• Payment for losses suffered as a result of the use of computers to commit fraud or theft of money, securities or other property.

PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard) assessments and fines

• Breaches involving payment card data that could expose you to PCI related fines and PCI DSS assessments

• Cover for costs associated with stolen card data, reimbursements of card reissuing costs and forensic investigations to establish the misuse of card data.

Moreover, investing in cyber insurance also has some added benefits like:

Forensic support

Most policies will give you access to trained cyber specialists in the event of an attack. These specialists can work with you to assess the damage, aid to recover any lost data and devise a recovery plan.

GDPR

Cyber insurance could also prove to be a lifeline for GDPR due to new regulations implemented from May 2018. Having adequate procedures and covers in place could shield you from data breaches and subsequent penalties from the ICO, a data protection watchdog.

Media liability and reputational damage

It can help you during the event of defamation or infringement of intellectual property claim against you, which could affect your reputation and impact your brand.

Extortion

Whenever attacked from ransomware, you may have to pay hackers to release your data. Your policy will cover these demands.

If you are looking for a cyber guardian angel, then cyber insurance should be your call. To learn more about such policies you can contact cyber law consultants so that you can get effective solutions of cybersecurity. Get legal advice for your business before you venture into the market.