To redress the rise in cybersecurity issues and to build robust password controls, Steve Santamaria, CEO, Folio Photonics, tells Digital Journal why measures like two-factor authentication are essential.
Before doing so, Santamaria considers the current threat landscape: “Cybercrime is a growing threat to individuals and businesses alike. Hackers are constantly looking for ways to exploit weaknesses in our digital security, steal our personal and sensitive information, and hold it for ransom.”
Drawing on a specific attack format, Santamaria cites: “One of the most common ways that cybercriminals gain access to our accounts and information is through weak or easily guessable passwords.”
This is why, according to Santamaria, events like May’s World Password Day matter. Santamaria sees such events as ser as a reminder that using strong and unique passwords is critical to protecting our digital presence, noting: “But it’s not enough. Hackers are becoming more sophisticated in their tactics, and relying solely on passwords for protection is like leaving your front door unlocked in a high-crime area.”
In terms of alternate strategies, Santamaria recommends: “To truly safeguard our digital assets, we need to employ multiple layers of data protection. This includes things like two-factor authentication, encryption, and regular system updates. But even those measures may not be enough.”
As an example, Santamaria says: “That’s why having a secure, tamper-free data archive that uses WORM media is so important. It can safeguard your assets while helping you recover from a ransomware attack or other data loss event; subsequently, reducing the impact that this disaster has on your business operations.”
Instead, Santamaria recommends new approaches: “To truly take your cybersecurity to the next level, you may need to consider air-gapping your data archive. Air-gapping your data means physically disconnecting it from the internet or any network connection, making it virtually impossible for cybercriminals to access it.”
Expanding on this, Santamaria says: “When an air gap is combined with WORM media, it becomes the ultimate protection and should sit at the base of any cyber-resilient infrastructure. While this has often been used in the most sensitive, highest security environments, it is becoming more-and-more commonplace to see other types of organizations deploying it as well.”
Therefore, as a recommendation, Santamaria puts forward: “If you’re not taking cybersecurity seriously, it’s time to wake up and smell the coffee. The threat of cybercrime is real and growing. If you don’t take steps to protect your digital presence, you could be the next victim. So, use World Password Day as a reminder to take action and employ multiple layers of protection to safeguard your digital assets.”
