One aspect that enterprises must consider when of protecting themselves from potential cyber threats is to acknowledge the danger of digital footprints. Sometimes referred to as an electronic footprint or a digital shadow, a digital footprint is a term to describe the data trail that is left behind every time an enterprise or one of its employees accesses the internet.
Seemingly harmless actions like web browsing, making online purchases, sending emails and chats and posts on social media all contribute to a company’s digital footprint. Unfortunately, if protective protocols are not adopted, threat actors may view or obtain this information and use it against firms as part of malicious campaigns.
How cybercriminals use digital footprints
Threat operators seeking to attack a company will commonly carry out research online. As a result, any information you leave visible or unprotected online can be seen or used by attackers. For this reason, businesses should be wary about what they post on the internet.
Contact details for specific staff members listed on websites can be used in social engineering attacks with threat operators spoofing their emails to con colleagues. Employees discussing company business on social media can also be exploited and passwords can be cracked by looking at personal details like pets’ names and birthdays when weak credentials are used.
Emails sent or documents shared over the internet without end-to-end encryption are also a high risk and can be intercepted by attackers and employed in schemes and scams.
Act now
Websites, social media accounts and sharing platforms used by multiple collaborators should all be screened to ensure that sensitive data is never made available. Employees must be strongly discouraged from sharing both personal and private company information online, and should understand the consequences. Carry out cybersecurity training for all new staff members as part of your onboarding process for best results.
When emails are sent or company data is shared, make certain that it is always encrypted. Encryption software will ensure that once the communication or content leaves your company’s protective firewall, it will remain secure and cannot be viewed by unauthorised individuals.
A secure way of working for enterprise staff
At Galaxkey, we have engineered a secure workspace that empowers enterprise professionals to carry out their duties in a safer environment, while equipping them with innovative tools to improve security. Our system has no backdoors hackers can exploit, and no passwords are ever stored to ensure they cannot be harvested and used against an enterprise.
To promote data security, we can provide cutting-edge encryption that can safeguard emails and documents whether they are being shared, stored, or sent, avoiding disclosures and a data breach. For enhanced communications and completing contracts securely, we also supply an electronic document signing feature and a wide array of secure email tools, including email timeout and recall for removing unwanted elements of your digital footprint.
If you would like to safeguard your staff against attacks, contact us today for a free two-week trial.
