We can no longer imagine our life and work without social media. One of the sales tools most used by companies, and the fastest way of information and communication between people around the world. However, it is important for organizations to understand the risks and how hackers use something routine to protect their network and employees.
Banning or blocking social networks permanently is done by some companies today, with the exact aim of keeping data safe and employees more focused.
For many, this behavior is an exaggeration, and for others, a necessity. But does granting access to social networks and entertainment sites put company data at risk?
The answer is yes! And that's exactly what we'll see next.
What are the entry points?
Social networks, in addition to diverting employees' focus, also lead to suspicious links . There is a potential risk of installing malicious software containing malware, spyware and viruses.
According to a survey by Kaspersky, the websites that employees access most on corporate devices are also among those most exploited by hackers. Imagining that not all companies have the use of these sites blocked, it becomes a relatively easy entry point for cybercriminals.
Anyone who thinks that in attacks coming from employees' personal social networks, only their data will be “stolen” or “kidnapped” is mistaken. According to Kaspersky data, the five web services that employees access most frequently from company devices are: YouTube, Facebook, Google Drive, Gmail and WhatsApp. These same services are also among the most exploited in cyberattacks on corporate data.
So that you can identify the magnitude of the facts, let's look at the numbers: Among the most abused services for malicious campaigns, we have, in the following order, Facebook (4.5 million attack attempts), WhatsApp (3.7 million), Amazon (3.3 million), Apple (3.1 million) and Netflix (2.7 million).
I'm sure these are much bigger numbers than I imagined.
Is banning the solution?
Although many companies set access rules , without a blocking tool , it is still up to the employee to decide whether to access or not. Unfortunately, practically all employees use some social network daily, and it is unlikely that they will go without “taking a look” during the day.
From the employees' point of view, working in a company where the internet is blocked creates a certain amount of inconvenience. Many do not comply with certain internet security policies and think that it is all just corporate paranoia or a lack of trust in the team. However, this decision is up to the company, as, without any type of blocking and protection of internet access, lay and untrained employees end up falling for cyber scams and putting the company's data at risk.
In several other articles here on our blog, we talk about the direct relationship between incorrect employee behavior on the internet and cyber attacks on companies.
Prohibiting it keeps managers and professionals responsible for this care, hostage to common sense and, above all, the employee's knowledge to distinguish fake ads from real ones, identify fake websites and emails , as well as harmful links, and the countless forms of attacks that exist.
Perhaps, just bans, without any type of time control or automatic blocking systems with rules separated by users and sectors, will not be the solution.
But, if prohibition is not the best way (or the smartest), and neither is total blocking, how can you keep company data safe? With blocking and releasing access at specific times, as you can see below.
Access release by time
For small and medium-sized companies, where the productivity and well-being of each employee is a determining factor for business success, using a system to release access to social networks at specific times, rules separated by users or sectors, makes the blocking impasse overall a little more balanced.
Internet access control systems for companies can serve as a glove in these cases (in addition to basic security systems ), as they can block websites considered harmful, and also allow access to social networks at specific times, keeping employees focused when they need to, safe when browsing social media and a little less “oppressed” with blocks or prohibitive rules, making the work environment and the employee themselves more productive.
How to control internet access?
There are different solutions available on the market for managing and controlling internet access . However, the vast majority require high investment , involvement of specialized technical professionals and require constant maintenance, updates and frequent support. This makes them expensive and often unfeasible, especially for small and medium-sized companies.
With the purpose of filling this gap in the market and offering an accessible and simplified solution to small and medium-sized companies, Lumiun exists.
The main factor in choosing to hire the solution, Lumiun offers control of internet access in companies quickly and intuitively.
See some of Lumiun’s features:
- Blocking access to specific websites
- Access control by categories and types of content such as pornography, social networks, racism, games and betting, among others
- Blocking and releasing websites by schedule
- Access rules by groups or sectors of the company
- Access control for remote or home office employees
All this in an automated way, without the need for technical knowledge or major configurations on the company's network.
Internet Access Control Guide you can find a step-by-step guide to effectively managing your company's internet access using Lumiun Box .
If you want to know more about Lumiun, download the presentation , with more detailed information about the solution, or schedule a demonstration , free of charge and without obligation.
To finish
As the article warns, leaving the company's data security up to the good faith of employees is a bit risky. However, any type of effort to improve information security is valid. Guide your employees, carry out basic training, create a data security policy and most importantly, have good systems and solutions to prevent any cyber attack on the company resulting from the release of social networks.
I hope I have helped you in some way to understand the importance of this sensitive topic.
To the next!
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