Cyber security is important. In fact, this was already significant in the years before cybercriminals started making money from malware, before we needed terminology like phishing, botnets, attack chains. , exploit kits, malware, spyware and ransomware. Back in the days when computer viruses were almost all about showing off to imaginary friends or pulling a destructive prank on everyone's expense on Friday the 13th by removing your programs one by one… …Well, even then, cybercrime (as we call it now without exception) was neither spiritual nor innocent. Then, around 2000 or 2001, cybercriminals figured out not only how to wreak havoc with malware, but also how to make money illegally. A lot of money. Much, much, much money. In the early 2000s, criminals were scamming €100 a time with pop-ups for fake charities sending money for bogus good causes; by the end of the decade, they were stealing payment card numbers and spending up to €1,000 at a time; in 2020 they blackmail a lot by stealing or scrambling your data and extorting you to buy it back for €1,000,000 a time.
Cybercrime directly affects us all
No matter how insignificant we may feel in the digital economy or how little we think we have for cybercriminals to take, we all have data that is worth something to cybercriminals, and there are large swathes of cybercriminals. who get rich at our expense simply by stealing data and selling it to someone else. Bottom line: a cybersecurity breach can quickly become a cybersecurity breach for everyone else.How can I help you?
Well, one way is to support Cyber Security Awareness Month, or CSAM for short, in your part of the world. Yes, CSAM is making some headway, it's now in its 2004th year (started in the US in XNUMX), so you'll find cynics saying, "But it's the same old, worn-out board that's recycled every year by people." I can't think of anything better to say." We disagree, because the basics are still important and we still haven't figured it out anyway. This is what we said seven years ago to the day CSAM reached its tenth year: “Cybersecurity is important because there is a whole subnet of cybercriminals out there waiting to take money out of our economy if we give them even the slightest chance. So let's make an effort to give them less than half a chance. As we said before, treat Cyber Security Awareness Month as an incentive to change your digital lifestyle for the better, in the long run. "And that's what we say again
Sure, some of what you hear on CSAM will be cute, but basic phrases you've heard before, like "choosing the right passwords" advice, "stop-think-login" encouragement sooner. to jump to websites and fill in personal details, and "if in doubt, don't give" reminders. But even if you already do all these things yourself all the time, what about your friends? Your family? Your colleagues? Their attitude can also help them improve their cybersecurity, which is why our motto for CSAM 2020 is: “Friends don't get scammed”. Because a wound to one is a wound to all.- Paul Ducklin, Principal Investigator, Sophos.