Digital marketers know the internet like the back of their hands. They should also recognize the cybersecurity threats lurking at every possible corner. However, when it comes to taking protection against specific cyber threats, they struggle to take the lead. Neglecting cybersecurity can be disastrous, especially if you’re a digital marketer handling sensitive client data.
Why Cybersecurity Training is Necessary for All
Cybersecurity isn’t a domain restricted only to the IT guys. Digital marketers also need to learn about the specific cybersecurity threats and methods to guard against them. Data breaches cost millions of dollars to companies and ignoring the problem will only exacerbate the problem.
However, the situation is still under control as more and more people become aware of the need for cybersecurity. In this blog post, we will look at some common cyber threats and learn ways to guard against them.
Email Threats
People who have ever received a phishing email know how cunning and believable scammers can be. Of course, not all phishing campaigns spread highly believable emails. Sometimes, their content might make people chuckle because of their preposterous accusations. For instance, many scammers try to convince people of winning lotteries without ever registering.
When it comes to the security of your private correspondence, email providers are relatively safe. They encrypt content in transit, preventing anyone from sniffing on it. However, if your job involves sending sensitive information, you might consider encrypting emails. In other cases, you might password protect files. That ensures that if an email reaches unintended recipients, they won’t be able to open them.
Thus, as a digital marketer, you need to use simple email encryption strategies and tools before sharing sensitive data over emails.
Malware
The rapid evolution of malware from relatively simple viruses to modern malware has stunned cybersecurity experts. There is spyware capable of recording your keystrokes and passwords and ransomware that completely encrypt a website’s sensitive data and decrypts only after the ransom amount is paid (if ever).
Digital marketers are often targeted with malware attacks as they regularly use multiple communication channels. Thus, you need to be extra careful while clicking on links from unknown sources as that could lead to malware attacks. It is also helpful to know how to check links without opening them.
WordPress
Well, it’s a bit surprising to find the name WordPress in this list because it’s by far the most popular CMS in the world. However, WordPress-based websites and blogs can be vulnerable to cyberattacks.
WordPress-based websites often use multiple plugins that can put your data and service in danger. Thus, it’s imperative to use the latest version of WordPress, and you must keep updating WordPress plugins. Moreover, you should also remove the old or outdated plugins from your site, as these are the most vulnerable. Plugins that are no longer supported by their developers must be removed immediately.
Domain
Hackers perform sophisticated attacks such as SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and even DDoS by exploiting domain-level faults. The security threats grow multi-fold if your website has a different level of users like consultants or freelancers. Protection against such attacks is possible only with expert help. Thus, you will need to consult the core IT team and develop a detailed plan to safeguard against such sophisticated cyberattacks.
Social Media
Digital marketers use social media to promote businesses, products, or services. Hackers are known to target social accounts run by businesses.
This phenomenon has been on the rise, and marketers across the globe have fallen victim to such cyberattacks. If you want to protect your social media account, it’s imperative to safeguard authentication credentials. Either you can use a password manager or other online services to store, protect, and retrieve passwords in a secure manner.
Flexible Schedules and Unsafe Networks
Digital marketers frequently get to adjust their schedules or work from anywhere. It means they get the chance to perform their tasks while also enjoying a trip abroad. However, such flexibility has also brought cybersecurity threats. Employees connect to secure networks monitored by IT departments when working in an office. Working outside this secure bubble means that marketers must guarantee network security themselves.
As a result, companies equip their marketers with necessary software like antivirus tools or VPNs. The latter stands for a Virtual Private Network and offers great assistance when traveling.
For instance, it safeguards users on any network, regardless of its security setup. It does so by encrypting traffic and hiding IP addresses. The IP change also makes it possible to access services from back home. So, it is crucial to enable a VPN for PC that you use for work. However, it can also benefit personal matters, like getting more streaming opportunities or protecting other devices.
Conclusion
We have reached a point when we can no longer rely on IT departments to defend us from cybersecurity threats. Now, marketers need to be well-versed in the art of cybersecurity to protect their operations and business.
