Cyber threats are everywhere but mostly behind your own front door

Update on the Construction Sector highlighting Subcontractors

The more you read about Cyber problems the more it’s all too easy to get paranoid, Yes we have seen the NHS computer system fail and then there was a telephone company that was hacked and millions of items of data was removed.

It’s hard to understand the psyche of a hacker, some do it for kicks others do it for a quick grab of credit card information to sell on or to use for their own drug consumption, no one knows why except that its al about money!!!

Small firms are not immune and it’s all too easy to be hacked. Larger firms are now having to spend millions and put preventative measures on any electronic device as it can be hacked 

There was a comment in the Telegraph that the UK Brexit team take their own printers to Brussels for fear of finding a second copy is being passed straight through to EU negotiators. That was said to be rumour only but I saw my own back manager have to log into the banks photo copier and asking why he said it’s all about security now

So let’s get onto Cyber Insurance, 

Are you aware 90% of hacking is by disgruntled employees, past and present. They are the most            likely candidates to hack into your system and casually download Client details you spent year’s building up. You can help reduce this risk 

Do we think it’s important? Yes absolutely. 

Why should I get it? Because hardly any of us are capable of stopping a determined hacker

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What does it cover?  It will cover losses incurred as a result of all your worst fears of data theft up to different amounts dependent on the value set. You can buy it through Brokers BUT, BUT, BUT you have to show that you have taken precautions to not leave any part of your system open to attack or any cover will be invalidated  

What can I do?

Obviously talk with Trident Insurance on 0800 038 9000

But also…………………………………………………

Always fully log off every PC at night that means everyone in the place of work and take a backup home as extra security. Be sure that everything you want is secure with your cloud provider Always use an 11 digit login that includes capitals and numbers, brackets, explanation marks and colons. Put in anything that is not simple and change it every 3 months. 

 

Whoever is in charge needs to keep those passwords safe and secure and confirm on a log they have been changed regularly. Where you have a network of computers, make sure they are set up so that each pc can work only on authorised areas you allow as the Administrator. Make sure at the end of the day everything work related on them goes to the administrator and in turn the cloud. So if someone were to physically break in each PC is effectively empty of anything important. You can set your network up to stop people taking flash drives to down load information without authorisation? 

Yes the above may mean a little more inconvenience, but your security on all scales is now the name of the game and we implore you as Clients or prospective Clients, to start looking at taking Cyber threats seriously and start to help protect yourself at very little cost

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It should be added that protecting yourself doesn’t mean you can say good bye to insurance. Insurance is a grudge purchase, we get that but it’s a necessary one all the same.

Insurers will look a lot more favourably in the event of a claim, for data loss and the repercussions there of if you have taken some initiative to protect yourself.    

Small and SME firms are actually now more susceptible than ever because larger firm have realised they have to spend seriously now to protect themselves. 

As an individual you look to protect you home with extra window and door locks as well as alarms, so why ignore the same principles of for your work place protection? 

With GDPR and data becoming the new obsession, to pretend all is ok and there’s nothing to worry about is sheer folly 

Yes at Trident Insurance we would urge you to take out Cyber cover through us, but before you do please look at how easy it is for anyone to break into your systems and stop the rot where you can

At Trident we say it how it is; and Cyber is the new enemy from within as well as an external one. 

Changing working habits to protect your business is more necessary than ever and Trident are her to help you 

0800 -038 900