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10 tips to avoid being a victim of a spyware

December 4, 2018 by HushApp Team

10 tips to avoid being a victim of a spyware

Did you know that there are applications that allow you to spy on your mobile devices? Yes, they are called spyware or software to spy on devices. They are applications that can be downloaded by anyone for free with a simple search on the Internet. All you need to do is simply install it on your victim’s device and begin spying!

The capability of these applications might be shocking to learn. They can access all the conversations that are carried out by WhatsApp or other social media, intervene the microphone of your device, know the geolocation, and even activate remote camera to see what happens around the phone at all times.

Imagine a scenario where a guy gives his girlfriend a cell phone, but without informing her, installed a spy application. Through this spyware they can monitor all online activity without the user being aware. Despite this being an extreme example,  in general, people should be aware of their privacy and understand how easily it can be compromised

These types of applications are usually offered to parents to “monitor” their children’s mobile devices, or for a boss who wants to monitor employees. This can undoubtedly generate a great debate regarding privacy.

The only thing we can do is protect our devices from these type of applications, and here we explain how.

How to avoid being spied on with spyware applications?

  1. There are simple signals that can alert you if something strange happens on your cell phone. One of them is the performance of your battery, although it can be due to many causes, if you detect an unusual battery consumption, it is possible that there is an app of this type.
  2. Check the list of applications, if there is any unknown, You can uninstall if you do not need it.
  3. Do not lend your cell phone to strangers, although it seems obvious, it needs to be said. A spyware can be installed very quickly and silently.
  4. One of the easiest and most effective ways is to install anti-spyware applications, these will allow you to detect if the device has installed malicious software. You can also install an antivirus, some computers already come with anti-spyware installed.
  5. Only install applications that come from official stores.
  6. If you already have the suspicion that you are being spied on and you have not managed to eliminate the spyware, a preventive measure is to have the device in airplane mode which will cancel any type of connection to the outside.
  7. Avoid using public Wi-fi: These are an open door for an intruder to access your information. If you need to, here are ways to use a public network more securely.
  8. Check the permission you are giving to each application: Check what permission you give to each application, and if you really need access to the camera or microphone.
  9. If after you have performed all the previous actions you still have suspicions that you are being spied on, you can restore the phone to the factory state.
  10. If the situation is already delicate enough, it will be necessary to report the incident to the police.

Avoid spies of flesh and blood

Even when we apply all security measures to protect your mobile devices, there will always be “spies of flesh and blood”, those who like to take a look (without permission) and review the information in your cell phone. And for this type of spy there is no anti-spy app or sanction.

But if you can make their life more difficult in a very simple way, add and combine more complex authentication patterns, use the actions that are recorded in the device’s sensors as fingerprint or facial recognitions, among other things that hinder access from an intruder trying to spy on your device.

Finally, encrypt your files, keep them safe in applications such as HushApp, so you can access and view the contents on your cell phone. Your files will remain protected within your HushBox.  

Filed Under: HushApp Tips Tagged With: anti-virus, applications, cybersecurity, encryption, HushApp, mobile devices, spy, spyware

Cyber crisis: how to manage a reputational crisis caused by cyber attack

November 13, 2018 by HushApp Team

Cyber crisis: how to manage a reputational crisis caused by cyber attack

We always think that it will happen to someone else, but finally it happened to you, you are the victim of a cyber attack. You arrived at that moment where your company suffers not only financial damages, but also negative publicity. Rumors begin and social networks are activated as an unauthorized information dissemination center, all while employees frantically nervous about their future work. This is a cyber crisis, how can a reputational crisis caused by a cyberattack be managed?

During any crisis there are three stages: before, during and after. At all times, the important thing is that the company knows how to deal with them. In the particular case of cyber attacks, it would be advisable to do the following.

The before: better to prevent than to regret

In the past it is not just about being careless because you believe that nothing will happen, it is being aware that it has not happened yet, but at any moment it could. Cyber ​​attacks are the priority of the day and consequently the crisis that entails, too. What can you do to prepare your company?

Know what you are exposed to: It is important that you know the risks to which your company is exposed to. To do so, you must determine what  the most common attacks are, what hackers are looking for, and what damages they could cause. If you have clear answers to the following questions, it will make it easier for you to understand the possible scenarios of cyber attacks:

  • What are my confidential files and how do I protect them? What would happen if these files came to light?
  • What are the financial or legal risks that a cyber attack could cause the company?

Train employees on cybersecurity issues: If the company trains and educates its employees on cybersecurity issues, the risks will be reduced.

Have a crisis manual that includes management in the case of cyber attacks: Many companies manage this manual to handle possible crisis scenarios. With the rise of cyber attacks, it is essential today to talk about cyber crisis and act before they occur.

Carry out simulations of cyber crisis: This will allow you to familiarize yourself and the employees with this type of situation and thus take an approach with organization and calmness.

Have an insurance against cyber attacks: This type of insurance has coverage against cyber risks such as malware, DDos, ransomware, etc. It is important that the company evaluates the possibility of purchasing this type of insurance.

During the cyber crisis:

You have joined the list of companies that have suffered such attacks, now is the time to know how to act.

Convene a crisis committee: This committee must be made up of people with enough authority to make decisions, such as a CEO, board of directors, etc. In addition to the legal team, communication advisors and the computer team are necessary to track the attack.

Search qualified advisors: It is important to hire people who have experience in this type of field. Both legal  and communication advisors must also work hand in hand in their strategies.

Inform all your employees and stakeholders: When a crisis occurs the media will seek, in any way, to obtain a source of information. In addition, employees often disseminate information on their social networks about what happened (even if it is not true). Therefore, employees can unwittingly become spokespersons for the company.

That is why it is essential that the company personally inform its employees of what has happened, before it arrives through others, this will prevent the dissemination of unofficial information.

All the stakeholders involved with the company and especially if they were affected must be properly informed of what is happening. This includes the media, to which they must prepare a respective communication, press conference, or any mode of information considered by the communication advisors more convenient to deal with the crisis.

It is best to recognize when the problem exists and not deny it, because in the end everything can be known in one way or another.

The after and the learning

After the storm comes the calm, after the cyber crisis is over, the company must:

Report how the situation was solved: Your audience should also know how the problem was solved. The more transparent and detailed the better.

Evaluate the situation: Analyze the situation and learn from mistakes, what should be done to improve the company’s security and how to channel it.

We can all be victims of a cyber attack, the important thing is to be aware that we are vulnerable and be prepared, as best we can, to deal with its possible consequences.

Filed Under: Cybersecurity Business Tagged With: confidential files, crisis manual, cyber crisis, cyberattack, cybersecurity, reputational crisis

How to use a public WiFi without compromising your security

November 6, 2018 by HushApp Team

How to use a public WiFi without compromising your security

One of the basic measures to protect yourself from a cyber attack is to avoid connecting to public networks. Often times they lack security whatsoever and can be an open door for cyber attackers. However, sometimes there is no choice but to connect to a public WiFi, in that case, you can take some precautionary measures that will allow you to navigate in a more secure way with this type of connection.

10 Tips for using public WiFi securely

  • Make sure you connect to networks with WPA security or WP2, avoid networks with WEP security, as they are not secure enough.
  • Use a VPN: If possible use a virtual private network (Virtual Private Network), so the IP address of your devices will be hidden from the websites you visit, your browsing is completely anonymous. Web traffic is also encrypted, which means that even your Internet service provider can not see your activity online.
  • Keep all the software and applications on your devices and mobile devices updated.
  • Always try to navigate through secure pages, where data travels encrypted (with the URL that starts in HTTPS).
  • Disable the synchronization processes of your equipment by connecting only what is necessary when you use the public WiFi
  • Avoid logging into any service or website where you need to place your username and password. Avoid making banking transactions, online purchases or other tasks that involve exchanging sensitive data through this type of network.
  • After you have connected to a public WiFi network, it is convenient to delete from the memory of your devices the list of old SSIDs or public networks to which you have previously connected.  
  • It is essential that you have installed security solutions for your equipment, which can keep viruses and malware away. There are also other options for mobile devices that analyze the existence of possible connections, alert, and ask for confirmation when you want to connect to one of them.
  • Encrypt your files and avoid sharing sensitive information through such networks: In addition to adding security solutions to prevent any potential cyber attack, you should make sure your files do not reach unwanted hands. Using the HushApp Hushbox you can keep your files safe, as they will remain encrypted on your mobile device. You can also share your files with your contacts (even if they do not have the application) and they will remain protected, from the moment you send them until your recipients receive it.
  • Disable the automatic connection: Generally we have activated this option, to be able to search for a Wifi and thus avoid spending our data. It would be advisable to disable this option,  and make the connection manually to ensure that when you need to connect you can simply check if you meet the security measures mentioned above.

The criminals will take advantage of any small oversight to access your equipment and finally to your most private information. You must follow all possible security measures that you can take to avoid a cyber attack.

Filed Under: HushApp Tips Tagged With: confidential information, cyber attack, cybersecurity, HTTPS, HushApp, HushBox, network, public Wifi, VPN, Wifi, WPA, WPA2

8 Tips for your customers to trust in your e-commerce

October 31, 2018 by HushApp Team

8 Tips for your customers to trust in your e-commerce

The work of selling a product is becoming more difficult every day. We are overwhelmed by information and advertising, especially on the web. Even when your e-commerce manages to correctly apply all the positioning strategies to stand out in search engines, you still sell little or nothing. Why is it? Is it possible that your e commerce does not generate sufficient confidence.

The increase in cyber attacks has caused people to become skeptical about the websites they use and not feel comfortable leaving their private and financial information online to make a purchase. If you feel that your ecommerce is not generating confidence in your potential clients, follow the tips below that will help you identify what the problems are and how to solve them.

How is the image of your e-commerce?

1. The first impression counts: Start by reviewing the design, if it is old or outdated it will not make a good impression, the same way bad spelling or grammar can affect the image of your company. People do not feel confident in an organization that does not know how to express what they want from you.

The ideal is to hire specialists in these areas that can give the right image to your company. Also consider that if poor wording can affect the rankings of a Google search.

It is important that the prospective buyer is clear about the characteristics of what they are going to buy and the benefits that they will bring. Therefore, the entire image of your website must clearly express what your message.

However, the trust is not only in the image, the company also has to convey confidence at the time that your customer is going to make the purchase, at that time, you should consider the following:

2. Clients want to know who you are: There you can show the physical and / or legal information of the company. The more information you offer, the better, company history, mission, vision, business objectives, professional team, managers, etc.

3. Contact you easily: The contact section must have all the necessary information so that the customer can communicate with the company without problems. The information should include telephone numbers, emails and physical address (if available). Using Google Maps is the best way to show a physical address. There are other channels that can facilitate communication such as chats or interaction with users in social networks, will bring more value to the company.

What do they say about your company?

4. If managed correctly social media can be a great help and a fundamental tool for any business, as they allow a channel of communication with customers.

Users today pay a great deal of attention to the reviews a company receives on the web. If there are negative comments it is possible that this generates distrust. Therefore, it is important to manage this type of problems as quickly as possible, and contact
the affected clients, to reduce the impact that these comments may have.

Generate confidence in your e-commerce beyond the image

5. Use SSL certificate for your website: This way you are already guaranteeing the visitor that you are an authentic and reliable site regarding the registration of your personal or banking data, as these will travel from encrypted form. To have it, just ask the company where we have hosted the domain and configure it in your content manager. 

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6. Show your stamps and certificates of quality: There are different certifications that will make your online store generate more confidence, for example, “Online trust” that guarantees the protection of your data and your rights as a consumer or, “Ekomi” to demonstrate that your payment is safe. There are also others like ChambertTrust and Fevad.

7. Clarify return policies: Clearly state in which cases they can apply and when they can not.

8. It offers multiple payment options: Offer your clients all the payment options you can, so that you can choose the one you feel most comfortable with. Paypal, bank transfer, credit card, etc. are among the best known. It is also important to make clear if it is necessary to charge some type of commission.

The security of your customers’ data must be paramount for you when making any online transaction, and you must prove it using all possible methods so that you feel comfortable and safe when visiting your e-commerce.

Filed Under: Cybersecurity Business Tagged With: cyber attacks, cybersecurity, e-commerce, online transaction, private information, social media, SSL certificate, website

What is end-to-end encryption and how do we use it in HushApp?

October 23, 2018 by HushApp Team

What is end-to-end encryption and how do we use it in HushApp?

Have you ever heard about end-to-end encryption? If you use applications such as Whatsapp or Telegram, you are already using this type of technology. This term has become recognizable thanks to these applications, but not only do they use this system, and besides the people who do not understand it, some have the ability to understand it is associated with a higher level of security. What is end-to-end encryption and what is it for?

What is end-to-end encryption?

Known in English as End-to-end encryption (E2EE), it is a communication system where only the users who communicate can read the messages. In principle, it prevents potential spies, including telecommunications service providers, the internet or any communication service, from accessing the cryptographic keys necessary to decipher the conversation. It is designed to overcome any attempt of surveillance or undesired alteration, since no third party will be able to decipher the data that is being communicated or stored.

To explain it in a simpler way, it is an encryption system that keeps the information protected in all phases of the process meaning that the only people who have access are the sender and the receiver.

Advantages and disadvantages

The main advantage of this type of system is to protect your information and privacy. Including anybody behind a service provider, only you and the recipient you choose will be able to access those files.

One of the great advantages is that companies that use end-to-end encryption can not deliver their clients’ text messages to authorities.

This brings a possible moral issue, that being that criminals may use such security to commit criminal activities. Although the debate may be extended, the advantages in terms of privacy may outweigh the concern of criminal activity.

Why do we use end-to-end encryption in HushApp?

Many messaging tools use this type of encryption to make communications more secure and private. However, it is important to note that this encryption system only offers a high level of security as long as it is implemented correctly. There are cases of recognized messaging companies who make promotions for using end-to-end encryption but aren’t even using it. They have suffered serious security breaches, due to the implementation they have made of this type of encryption. 

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To strengthen your security we use the passphrase, this is where we protect your files and transfers, the passphrase is the key used to authenticate the user. When you register on your device, a secret key is generated that will help you decipher the encrypted content you receive and or send.

This secret key is created and stored in the user’s device. Thus, only those who know the passphrase can recover the secret key which unlocks the content. When you log in again, you will be asked for your passphrase and the encrypted secret key will be decrypted with this same passphrase.

With HushApp you are the one in charge of giving more security to your files because the more complex the security passphrase you choose, the higher the level of protection. You can even know if your passphrase is sufficiently robust and complex to be deciphered, because the application assigns your profile a yellow (if regular) or green (if strong) shield based on this criterion.

That is why it is important that you do not forget your passphrase. Our application implements zero knowledge protocol, meaning we have no way to access your files, passwords or passphrases. So, if you cannot remember your phrase, you will not be able to recover your files.

We invite you to try HushApp …

Filed Under: HushApp News, Sin categorizar Tagged With: cybersecurity, E2EE, encryption, end to end encryption, passphrase, privacy

Are you a cybersecurity geek? 10 signs to show that you are becoming one

October 2, 2018 by HushApp Team

Are you a cybersecurity geek? 10 signs to show that you are becoming one

Being a geek is a way of life, it’s about being passionate about what you like the most, keeping up with the latest technology, and watching all the movies and science fiction series. It also is about being aware of all details, forums or blogs that comment on your favorite topics (in addition to buying all possible gadgets and toys). But as a technology lover, you are aware of all the threats that exist on the Internet, and you have so many security measures that- wait, are you becoming a cybersecurity geek?  

We have repeated on several occasions how important it is to protect yourself against a cyberattack, and never to be paranoid enough about cybersecurity, but there may be some exceptions … If you show three or more of these signs when you protect yourself from a cyberattack, you may already be a cybersecurity geek 🙂

Are you becoming a cybersecurity geek?  

  1. Make daily backups of your data or every few hours. 
  2. Do not open attachments from NOBODY.  
  3. Do not use any social network, or if you do, use them with false name and profile photo.
  4. Use more than one antivirus for each device.
  5. Never use Windows, a good cybersecurity geek always knows not to use this operating system, even if he has the best antivirus (or more than one).
  6. Visit pages of companies or computer security organizations daily to be aware of possible threats.
  7. Establish protocols and infrastructure for a Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) … at home.
  8. Search daily on the Internet to know what information about you is published on the web, there are even some people that have a Google Alert with their name configured. Even think of hiring a company that searches in the most remote corner of the internet to know what  private information is online and can help you erase it.
  9. Protecting your router, but not only with the basic measures such as, passwords, signal range and others. You have to go further, better, think about covering the walls of your house with layers of aluminum foil, this will drastically reduce the intensity of the signal.
  10. Place removable devices (such as USB encrypted) in secret locations that you can use to send to your recipients. Although it is a measure used by cybersecurity experts and hackers, in your day to day life, believe me, you will need to. However we have some better options for you … 

If you do some of these actions I think you better take it easy. It is not necessary for security of your confidential information to be problem for your life, there are much simpler options. We want to make your life easier, with HushApp you can keep your information safe and secured while having peace of mind that your confidential files remain safe. 

 

We invite you to try HushApp …

Filed Under: HushApp Tips Tagged With: cyberattack, cybersecurity, Cybersecurity geek, geek, hacker, hacking, HushApp

9 Cybersecurity Tips to protect corporate email from possible cyber attacks

August 27, 2018 by HushApp Team

9 Cybersecurity Tips to protect corporate email from possible cyber attacks

Email is still the best way for companies to communicate today, it is the most convenient way to send and share files. However, it is important to use with caution because many cyber-attacks that occur in companies, originate in email. A prime place where cybercriminals can get information directly from employees. To make sure your email is protected, follow these cybersecurity tips to protect your corporate email.

9 Cybersecurity tips to protect your company’s email

  1. Must ensure your employees understand the risks of a cyberattack and how to be safe so companies can cybersecurity culture in the company.
  2. Do not use corporate email for personal purposes, to avoid getting additional opportunities for unauthorized people to invade a company’s system.
  3. In case you lose your password, link your email to another alternative account, preferably another from the company. Add double factor authentication for added security.
  4. Do not post your corporate email address in forums, social media, etc.
  5. Create email accounts for different tasks, for example, using an additional account to subscribe to new services where your security policy is unknown. Having multiple accounts decreases chances of getting hacked and losing private information.
  6. Watch where you access with your email: Do not open your corporate email from networks outside the company, in case you have to do so, open a incognito window and close all other sessions.
  7. Beware of phishing: an email with malicious content is designed to deceive you, so it is important to be alert to any fraud, and analyze its content: an unknown sender, files with double extension that usually are computer worms or Trojans, even some design change could be an indication of a phishing email. If you decide to open it, check it with an antivirus.
  8. Do not respond to spam emails, you can give clues to possible attackers or scammers.
  9. Send your encrypted files: use an application to protect your files. An option can be HushApp, with which you can send and share files in a easy and secure way, it uses end to end encryption. You can also send files to contacts that do not use the application and the information will remain protected.

There is no guarantee that you will have 100% security, cybercriminals use different techniques every time to violate the company’s confidentiality, taking advantage of informing employees on proper security measures will help reduce the chances of being hacked. Therefore, the best way to defend yourself is by being aware of the risks and taking all available prevention measures. From the most complex systems you can implement to simple practices, such as these cybersecurity tips to protect email.

Filed Under: Cybersecurity Business Tagged With: computer worms, corporate email, cyber attacks, cybersecurity, email, HushApp, phishing, Trojans

Cybersecurity for employees: Creating cybersecurity culture in your company

August 21, 2018 by HushApp Team

Cybersecurity for employees: Creating cybersecurity culture in your company

As much as companies invest in sophisticated security systems, it will not help if efforts are not focused on the most vulnerable points of attack: the employees. They are the ones who access and manage the company’s information, therefore, training in Cybersecurity for employees must be part of the company’s organizational culture.

There is no doubt that companies are the preferred target of cyber attackers. These criminals take advantage of the little knowledge and carelessness of employees. With just a click, they have the ability to access the confidential data of the company. Therefore, all employees must understand the risks that exist and that may affect not only the company, but themselves.

Achieving adequate training should not only be an IT department responsibility, rather the board of directors must lead the change and be the example to follow, so that the entire team can be prepared to face any attack.

Some tips to implement training actions in cybersecurity for employees could be:

Beyond all security systems that can be implemented by the IT department, it is about training the employee regarding the proper use of each electronic device available in the company.

It is essential that employees understand the importance of using strong and unique passwords, not to leave them in plain view of anyone, not to reveal them by any media. They can also be taught to use password management tools.

Train employees to recognize safe sites to navigate, (they can look for the S of the HTTPs protocol or the lock). They can also be prepared

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for some kind of phishing or performance simulation tests them to check if they are alert for this type of attack.

Establish policies for employee mobile device usage: many companies have increased the number of corporate devices to provide flexible schedules, therefore there should be policies established that include personal devices use, if they access the company’s networks or for work management.

Implement secure and easy-to-use encryption tools: part of every employee’s day-to-day work is to share and send information to other contacts: colleagues, customers, suppliers, etc. A simple activity but that could compromise the company security if if some precaution is not taken.

HushApp is a tool that will allow employees to send files in an easy and secure way. Since it uses end-to-end encryption, they can also send to other people (as customers for example) even if they do not have the application, and they will still be protected.

Involving employees in the training

Imposing rules and restrictions will not ensure that all employees abide by them. On the contrary, it would complicate access to information. There will be slower processes and therefore greater dissatisfaction among employees. The idea is that the experience is pleasant and it becomes a habit.

Large companies are making campaigns to raise awareness among their employees about cybersecurity issues, such as Facebook, which organizes programs such as “Hacktober”, a tradition designed to build and maintain conscious culture about cybersecurity.

Marketing campaigns with contests, workshops, lectures and even games that allow not only spend a pleasant time for employees but promote good practices in the field of cybersecurity.  

INCIBE Awareness Kit to start:

The National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE) has anon its website Awareness Kit that incorporates multiple graphic resources, interactive elements and detailed programming to improve companies’ IT security.

Changing the behavior of an organization should not be seen as a simple list of tasks to be done, it is about creating collective awareness about the importance of training in terms of cybersecurity for employees, understanding the risks and consequences, to avoid future financial or reputational damage to the company.

 

Filed Under: Cybersecurity Business Tagged With: cyber attack, cybersecurity, encryption tools, HushApp, IT department, phishing

5 Cybersecurity tips you need to manage your business social media

August 9, 2018 by HushApp Team

5 Cybersecurity tips you need to manage your business social media

Social media has transformed the way people communicate. Each of them generates more and more accounts every day, for its immediacy, its ease of use and other characteristics that as we all know, make us addicted to them. Companies know that social media is an indispensable channel to reach customers. The problem is that hackers find it easy to get your information if you do not take the appropriate measures of cybersecurity for your social media.

Social media sites are nearly completely public, once you post something it is permanent. In the business world, everything exposed in social media must be handled carefully, a couple of words in a tweet could cause serious negative impact on the reputation or even the finances of the company.

A careless community manager of a company can be responsible for writing a post without thinking or reading it before giving away private information, a disloyal competitor who wants to end their reputation or even a malicious computer criminal who pretends to supplant them, trying to cheat their followers using to their name.

It is not about blaming anyone, it is better to prevent this type of situation than have to deal with it afterwards. It is crucial to start with some basic ideas that can reinforce the protection of your social media.

5 tips of Cybersecurity for business social media

  1. Add two-factor authentication to your social media, do not stay with a single password, you can increase security by using a
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    second option with a personal question or by sending a password to a mobile device that you have linked to your social media account. You can also use it for your personal networks.
  2. Assign devices to management business social media: just like the two factor authentication, manage corporate networks from devices only destined to corporate accounts.
  3. Configure the privacy options of each network: each one allows you to decide what you want to show and what not.
  4. Control who has access to social media: The more people who have access to the company social media, the risk becomes greater, assigns administrators and controls their permissions and access, especially if this work is carried by an external person to the company. In the case of Facebook, you can assign different roles, be sure to eliminate access to former employees or former account administrators.
  5. The fundamental idea of business social media is to promote a product or service of your company, and thus have a closer contact with your customers. If you plan your marketing strategy well, surely you will have quite effective results, but do not forget cybersecurity. If you create a social media campaign, make sure that this information (arts, texts, special promotions, etc.) does not reach unwanted people before the time you decided to publish. Use applications such as HushApp, which will allow you to protect your files easier and safely, so that your campaign will be a success.

There is no doubt that social media has become an essential tool for companies, especially SMEs, but they are also a key focus for cybercriminals, the ideal is to use them responsibly to ensure the success of the company in the digital world.

Filed Under: Cybersecurity Business Tagged With: business social media, cybersecurity, HushApp, marketing strategy, privacy options, social media, two factor authentication

The best cybersecurity practices in the advertising world

July 31, 2018 by HushApp Team

The best cybersecurity practices in the advertising world

Advertising agencies are becoming the focus of hackers. For example WPP was targeted by a cyber attack last year, which cost this multinational ad agency about 17 million euros. Agencies of all sizes, even boutique ones, are under attack. The reason why agencies are so attractive to cybercriminals is mainly due to the amount and type of confidential data they handle on behalf of their clients. Therefore, if the appropriate cybersecurity measures are not applied, it can result in damage to your customers and their brands.

As you know, an online marketing campaign requires very specific planning, both to carry out market research and to develop an advertising strategy. It generally includes content to be developed in tools such as social networks, email and other marketing actions to attract potential customers.

In many cases, advertising agencies compete with each other to get an important brand account. During this process, confidential proposals are exchanged which, if they fall into the hands of the competition, can mean the loss of the client, with the consequent economic impact. That is why it is important to ensure the protection of this type of files.

It is also important to secure the creative pieces, before they are approved and go out to the public. It is regrettable that this type of sensitive information reaches the hands of hackers or unfair competitors, and that the losses have a negative impact on the income and the reputation of the agency.

Some risks that may occur are:

During the market investigation it will be necessary to share sensitive information with customers, this information will determine the effectiveness of the campaign. If these data are not sent with the right tools, they could easily be vulnerable to falling into the wrong hands, including competition.

Creative content and its tools: Content marketing is fundamental in a campaign. To do this, the agencies use content management tools such as WordPress, which allow them to create content periodically (in blogs, for example) and keep information about the company updated.

Because of its ease of use anyone with a basic knowledge can manage a WordPress account, and if not properly protected, a hacker could access the site and use it to their liking, even distributing malware to users.

Email is also widely used by agencies for targeted email marketing campaigns to contacts and customers. If a cybercriminal manages to access one of these accounts, he could not only have access to the contacts of the company, but could also send fraudulent or virus-infected emails, which would result in the company’s website or emails being blocked by the clients’ servers, and poses legal, reputational and financial risks.

Social networks are also an easy and vulnerable way to attack, and in addition you should be especially careful with the information that is published in this way, because of the ease and speed of dissemination that they have, they could also be channels of distribution of false information.

To avoid reaching any of the situations mentioned above, some basic cybersecurity measures to protect the information of a marketing campaign could be:

Cybersecurity measures to apply to online marketing:

– The fundamental thing is to use a strong and unique password that is difficult to guess, for each of the services mentioned above. It’simportant to set a different password for each tool, including each social network. 

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– It is also important to periodically perform all updates to each service.

– You should avoid connecting to public Wi-Fis if you are going to use this type of tools, since the data that is being sent at the time of publication does not have the needed level of encryption protection.

– In the case of email marketing, you can use software that offers monitoring.

– Ensure that personnel who have access to these tools are aware of the threats that exist and the security measures that must be applied.

– When you need to share sensitive files that compromise the research or business proposals that you do, use applications that allow you to encrypt the information from the moment you send it until it reaches the recipient. With HushApp you can send documents easily and safely, even if your recipient does not use the application.

Cybersecurity is an issue that should concern all business sectors, it is important that all company personnel are aware of the dangers of a cyber attack. In the case of the marketing sector, where the activity is mostly online, the dangers are much more likely, taking the measures and using the right tools, you can successfully reach your ideal customers.

Filed Under: Cybersecurity Business, Sin categorizar Tagged With: cyber attack, cybercriminals, cybersecurity, email marketing., market investigation, online marketing campaign, WordPress

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