Cybercrime is becoming an increasingly important topic in the business world. However, companies are only partially aware of the consequences. With the necessary risks involved. At OpenSight, we understand better than anyone that keeping up with cyber threats can be a complex task. But ignoring the risks puts the business at risk. Avoiding risk requires a combination of technology, strong policies, and employee training. In this article, read how integrating AI can help better protect your business.

Prevent cyberattacks with AI

In the last two years over 70% of Dutch organizations have had to deal with cyberattacks. Many of these organizations rely only on standard solutions and software to protect their networks and data. Fortunately, opportunities to better protect ourselves are growing. AI and machine learning are great examples of this. There is a big difference between the traditional, conventional solutions, and AI. With traditional solutions, for example, you can only detect malware that the software already knows. New malware? That’s a problem. It is, of course, possible to update the software, but there is a downside: the software must be constantly up-to-date. If you forget this once, you’re still at risk to becoming a victim of a cyber-attack.

With AI and machine learning things are different. These self-learning algorithms keep improving and developing constantly. This allows the software to recognize malware by the way it behaves, without depending on an update. When something unnatural happens on a device, this change is immediately noticed.

Using AI and machine learning

As you can see, AI and machine learning make it possible to tighten companies the security processes. Continuous improvement, faster detection of threats and overall better security. Curious about the possibilities? Contact one of our experts!

Phishing Mails and domain name fraud are becoming more common. Not only has the frequency of these cyber hacks increased enormously, but hackers are also becoming more agile. As a logical response, we see that companies and organizations want to take action. But where to start? Fortunately, useful tools are available to help prevent phishing and CEO fraud. Mail Spectator is one of those tools. We’ll tell you more.

About phishing

The word phishing is somewhat similar to the word fishing. With phishing we then also mean the act of fishing for personal information and data from other people. Although we are warned daily about phishing, such as through our bank or from the government, emails from hackers seem to get more realistic. The chance that employees fall into the trap of a phishing email is therefore quite high.

Better security with Mail Spectator

A safe environment to work in is essential for employees to do their job well. It’s crucial that risks such as phishing and domain fraud are kept to a minimum. Mail Spectator can help you with this. Curious about the possibilities? Contact one of our experts!

An error in a company’s software or hardware seems like small mistake. Unfortunately, The impact is a lot bigger. If there is a vulnerability in the system, it is exposed to various risks, which means that it can be exploited. With Vulnerability Management, you prevent unnecessary risks and protect both the company’s software and hardware. In this article we tell you more about the benefits and possibilities of Vulnerability Management.

Why Vulnerability Management?

With Vulnerability Management, you detect vulnerabilities in the network in a timely manner. By being there in time, a plan can be made to mitigate the vulnerability and you reduce the chances of a cyber attack. But there are other reasons why you should choose Vulnerability Management.

Get started with Vulnerability Management

If you get started with Vulnerability Management, you will get a grip on your business. Just keep in mind that many vulnerabilities are exposed in the beginning and that this can be quite confronting. It’s important to remain calm and to tackle the vulnerabilities step by step. Do you want to know more about how to do that exactly? Contact one of our experts! We’re happy to help!

Ever heard of the term honeypot? It’s very well possible you’ve never heard of it before. No worries! In this article we’ll explain what a honeypot is, how it can improve the cybersecurity of your organization and what the advantages are.

What is a honeypot?

Let’s start with the basics. A honeypot is a computer, or several, intended to trap hackers. This computer contains “precious data” that is attractive to hackers. Vulnerabilities are deliberately exposed in this computer’s system, making it an easy target for hackers. What they don’t know is that this system is disconnected from the rest of the network and is carefully monitored. Like bees that gravitate to honey, a honeypot will lure hackers.

What to do in case of an attack

Setting up a honeypot correctly can be done with a professional. Maybe you have an expert inside the organization, but you can also hire an external expert. Once the honeypot has been set up, it’s the hackers’ turn. What’s the next step once the honeypot is attacked? Calling an expert is always wise in a situation like this. Someone who can help set up a honeypot correctly in the first place, but can also help when a hacker has struck. Such an expert can tell you exactly whether there are other risks and where security needs to be tightened. Sometimes it is also possible that an employee accidentally stumbled upon the honeypot, creating a false alarm. Nevertheless, calling in an expert – such as OpenSight – can’t hurt.

Topics such as cybersecurity and governance play an increasingly important role in our society. Our daily life increasingly takes place online, whether business or personal. This means new risks and new challenges for organizations dealing with sensitive data and information from both employees and customers. Cyber attacks happen daily, whether it’s obtaining passwords or bank details or CEO/CFO fraud in which case a malicious individual poses as the CEO/CFO. Well-trained employees recognize these types of issues immediately and thus prevent damage. Is your organization well prepared for these risks?

Are you aware of the dangers?

Although more attention is paid to a safe digital workplace, cybercrime continues to increase. The number one cause? Human mistakes. Human employees are the organisation’s weak link when it comes to security. That’s why it’s important to make employees aware of the risks and dangers of cybercrime and make them aware of what they themselves can do to keep company data safe.

Want to know more or apply awareness training yourself?

Creating security awareness starts with good conversation and a few essential questions. OpenSight is happy to help you with this. Where is the organization at risk? What are the current priorities when it comes to cybersecurity? Together we look at which issues should be tackled first. Contact us and prevent your staff from falling victim to a cyberattack or hack.

Cybercrime is an increasing concern for organizations everywhere. A large part of the working population has worked from home in the past two years and is continuing to do so. Because of this, many business conversations and activities have taken and are taking place online. This opens a window for data breaches, leaking of sensitive data or worse: cybercrime. In this article you can read about the most common cybersecurity risks for organizations and how these risks can be minimized or even avoided.

Malware

Malware is an umbrella term for software like viruses, spyware, and Trojan horses. Malware usually ends up on a computer or network when employees click on a link or document that contains this software. Because the work traffic of many organizations has been from home in recent years, we have seen an increase in malware attacks. The name malware comes from the two words “malicious” and “software”.

Tips to prevent a cyber attack

As an organization, there’s multiple things that can help prevent a cyberattack. Below a few tips:

Make staff aware of the risks

One of the easiest but most important things you can do is making all employees aware of the security risks when they must handle sensitive data or log on to sensitive systems. Train employees and teach them the basic principles of cyber security. This includes creating strong passwords, raising awareness about various phishing techniques, and keeping important security software up to date.

Use safety tools

There are many different tools and programs that can help organizations improve their security. Two-step verification is an easy-to-implement tool that prevents hackers from gaining access to the system. It’s also advisable to use a firewall to keep snoopers out. Another simple tip: make sure the computers used by employees are always up to date. There are plenty of tools, so use them!

Invest in a cybersecurity expert

Our last tip: Hire a cybersecurity expert. These experts can train employees, look at the cybersecurity protocols and, where necessary, think along with the digital transformation of an organization. After all, a well-thought-out plan is the basis for rock-solid security.

There are plenty of ways to combat cybercrime: companies, insurance, software, and so on Despite these measures, many organizations still have quite some weak spots. The largest weak spot in any organization, however, is us humans. Hackers and other cybercriminals often focus on human deception. They usually only need a small moment of inattentiveness. These small moments of inattentiveness can take the form of clicking on a malicious link containing malware, downloading the wrong (unsafe) software, paying a phantom invoice or following up on a fake email. These little things can have big consequences that you’re going to want to avoid. That’s why in this blog we’ll discuss the steps you can take to create a safer environment, by yourself!

Hopefully, these tips will help you strengthen your company’s security. Still have more questions or need more assurance? Don’t hesitate and contact us!

Cyber security, cyber attacks and cybercrime, these terms have the tendency of popping up everywhere. But what do they mean, and for who is it important? We see data leaks and hacks all around us, but do we know what these events actually entail? What threats are there, and how real is the chance of your business falling prey to a data leak or hack?

How likely is it that your company will fall prey to cybercrime?

A lot of people seem to think that cyber attacks only take place at large companies, banks, or government agencies, but unfortunately that’s far from reality. In 2019, 50% of Dutch companies fell victim to some form of cyber attack. In 2021, Dutch Chamber of Commerce estimated that there are about 294 cyber attacks on companies per week, which means 1 in 5 entrepreneurs will be affected.

What are you able to do for your cyber security?

To keep your cybersecurity up to date, there’s a few basic procedures you can follow:

• Make timely backups.
• Only use secure internet hotspots.
• Install your updates promptly.
• Use strong passwords, and change them regularly.

You can also choose to take out insurance against cybercrime. It is also wise to have your cybersecurity monitored and/or strengthened by a specialized third party. After all, it’s better to be safe than sorry!

Risk management in cybersecurity is an essential process for any organization seeking to protect its digital assets from threats. The world is getting increasingly dependent on technology, and the need for robust cyber security measurements is growing. In this blog we discuss the risk management approach in cyber security and how it can help organizations to protect themselves from cyber threats.

By taking a risk-based approach to data and systems security, companies can strike the right balance between risk and reward to achieve their goals. Effective cybersecurity risk management ensures that the organization’s technology, systems, and information are adequately secured, focusing resources on the most critical areas. By embedding a robust risk management approach throughout the organization, companies can effectively manage cyber security risks while complementing their overall risk management strategy.

What is risk management for cyber security?

Cyber security risk management is a process that revolves around identifying, assessing, and prioritizing cyber security risks, and the implementation of strategies to minimize these risks. The goal is to enable organizations to make informed decisions about the level of risk they are willing to accept and take appropriate measures to protect their digital assets.

Risk management is an ongoing process that involves identifying, assessing, and managing risks throughout the organization. This process is critical to ensuring that the organization’s cyber security strategy is aligned with overall business goals and objectives.

Benefits of a risk management approach in cyber security

A well-executed risk management process can have many benefits for an organization, for example:

• Improved security.
  By establishing and assessing potential risks, an organization can implement fitting controls and security measures to protect its assets and improve its overall security posture.
• Improved compliance with regulations
  A risk-based approach to cyber security can help organizations comply with various regulations and standards such as GDPR, PCI-DSS, ISO 27001 and others.
• Lower costs
  By focussing on the most critical risks and implementing appropriate controls, an organization can reduce the overall cost of cyber security while ensuring that resources are assigned in the most effective manner.
• Increased resilience
  Effective risk management can improve an organization’s ability to respond to and recover from cyber incidents and ensure that the organization can continue to function and deliver its services even in the face of cyber threats.
• Increased stakeholder confidence
  Effective risk management for cyber security can increase stakeholder confidence in an organization’s ability to protect its assets and maintain the confidentiality, integrity and availability of its information.

It’s important to take the broader context into account with managing cybersecurity risks. This means understanding your business priorities and goals and aligning cyber risk management with those goals. By thinking about the risks you’re willing to take with technology to achieve your goals, you can make informed decisions about cyber security risk management.

Effective management is essential for well-functioning risk management. This means that you understand how managing and communicating cyber risk fits within existing governance structures that manage other types of business risks. Your approach to cyber risk management must be effectively governed and tailored to the specific needs of your organization.

It’s also crucial to ensure that your organization has an adequate policy that outlines the risk management strategy for the organization, integrating cyber security considerations into other organizational policies where appropriate. The board must collectively understand the importance of cyber security in supporting the organization’s overall goals and have the necessary information to make informed and timely decisions.

Effective communication is a crucial aspect

• Articulate your approach
  To effectively communicate cyber risk and risk management, it’s crucial to clearly articulate your approach to staff and decision makers. This ensures that they understand how cyber security risks are managed and are better able to make informed decisions.
• Coordinated communication.
  It’s also important to ensure that your communication about cyber risks is aligned with how your organization communicates about other types of risks, such as legal or financial risks. This can help integrate cyber security risk management into the organization’s broader risk management strategy.
• Clear and sensible use of language.
  Clear and sensible use of language is important when communicating about cyber risks. Every label or score must be explained properly in order to avoid misinterpretations and misconceptions. For example, using an “average” risk label without clear criteria for what that means can lead to inconsistent interpretations within the organization. By communicating in a clear way and by using sensible language, you can ensure that everyone within your organization has a consistent understanding of cyber risk and risk management.

How to improve your Risk Management Framework.

• Continuous and iterative
  It’s important to remember that risk management is continuous and iterative. As technology and the business environment continue to evolve, threats and opportunities may change. Risk management approaches must adapt accordingly.
• Review risks regularly
  Regularly reviewing risks is important in order to ensure that the methods chosen to manage them remain effective and appropriate.. You should be especially vigilant in reviewing risk assessments when significant changes occur such as a shift in the threats an organization faces or changes in the technology used to deliver and manage a system or service.
• Regular evaluation of methods, frameworks and tools
  In addition to evaluating risks, it is also important to regularly review the methods, frameworks and tools used for risk management. These must remain effective within the business context and appropriate for the ever-changing landscape of cybersecurity and threats. By continuously improving their approach to risk management, organizations can ensure that they are better equipped to effectively manage cyber risks.

Conclusion

In short: risk management in terms of cyber security is vital for protecting organisations against cyber threats. A risk-based approach enables organizations to identify, assess and prioritize risks and apply strategies to mitigate or reduce these risks. By adopting a risk management approach to cyber security, organizations can make informed decisions about their cyber security strategy, improve their cyber security posture and reduce the likelihood of a successful cyber attack.

OpenSight Summer Series

During the OpenSight Summer Series, we publish weekly blogs that elaborate on the following topics:

1. Risk management
2. Engagement and training
3. Asset management
4. Architecture and configuration
5. Vulnerability management
6. Identity and access management
7. Information security
8. Logging and monitoring
9. Incident management
10. Supply chain security

By implementing the security measures outlined in these ten steps, organizations can reduce the likelihood of cyberattacks and lessen the impact of potential incidents.Learn more about the OpenSight Summer Series here!