The 2014 Sony and Target hacks exposed the data of millions. The subsequent sacking of those company heads deemed responsible has sent a ripple of fear through corporate boardrooms: Fear execs could lose their jobs should their company suffer a similar fate.

Fear of corporate hacking is driving a spending boom in the cybersecurity industry. Multiple startups are vying to become the next household name in the war against hacking.

The firings have sparked a scramble for new security technology by companies desperate to head off the next costly, embarrassing cyberattack. – CNET

There are so many startups in Silicon Valley, there is now a cybersecurity startup that helps other cybersecurity startups.

Companies and governments worldwide are expected to spend $80 billion on hardware and software to protect themselves against cybersecurity attacks this year, up from $74 billion in the last year, according to information technology research firm Gartner. – CNET  

But antivirus software isn’t enough. That’s what Enrique Salem, the former CEO of Symantec, told CNET.

In fact, experts say that type of software is becoming irrelevant as hackers shift their focus to attack smartphones through wireless and cellular networks, instead of the old days when they targeted desktop computers connected to the Internet over telephone cords. – CNET  

That means that your employees and their BYODs may pose your biggest threat to cybersecurity.

Protect Yourself

Workers can unwittingly introduce viruses into a system through the following methods:

• Clicking on a link in a phishing email
• Uploading an unapproved program to their work computers via USB
• Installing unauthorized apps on their work devices
• Using their own unsecured devices to connect to an office network

Such threats can’t be combatted by spending millions on hacking protection, because the threats are coming from the inside. But employee monitoring software can help protect against data breaches.

Ideally, employee monitoring software tracks:

• USB uploads and downloads
• App installation and usage
• Internet searches
• Keystrokes

Has your company ever been a victim of hacking or insider threat? If so, what were the consequences? Share your experience in the comments section below!