Data security concerns and solutions
Spencer Livingston, COO of Global Guardian, discussed cyber threats and how they can affect travelling employees at ITIC Global 2019.
Spencer Livingston focused specifically on the communications aspect of cyber security, referencing the ways in which a business can be exploited by hackers through company email accounts. Spencer cited that the cost of responding to a cyber threat has risen by 60 per cent year on year over the past five years.
He detailed a case study in which a cyber-attack on a Dubai-based manufacturing company took place. Hackers who had been monitoring the emails of the accounting department sent a payment request for around $800,000 – which ended up being transferred across.
Travellers should be wary of public Wi-Fi networks and instead use phone data wherever possible
He concluded his presentation with an ABC of what travellers can do to protect their phones when travelling abroad. A good VPN is key, he said, as this helps monitor and prevent phishing. He advised that travellers should be wary of public Wi-Fi networks and instead use phone data wherever possible. Finally, turning off location settings and being aware of how search history is tracked can also help deter cyber-crime. With these measures, he insisted, 60 to 70 per cent of these forms of cyber-attacks can be thwarted at the onset.