The current state of internet security is universally problematic. Companies in the private sector and government agencies are hard-pressed to defend their digital assets, which are at constant risk of being pilfered by hackers. All too often these hackers succeed, as has been made evident by the bevy of breaches that have plagued headlines in 2015. The Office of Personnel Management, Dow Jones, Scottrade and TalkTalk are only some of the big-name organizations that have fallen prey to cyberattackers. Chief information officers undoubtedly have their fingers crossed for a reprieve in the cyber onslaught. Unfortunately, reports suggest that the new year will only bring new threats, and in greater abundance.
2016: A good year for the bad guys
Given the tumultuous nature of the current cyberthreat landscape, the last thing any business wants to hear is that more trouble looms over the horizon, and yet, that's exactly what cybersecurity specialists are saying. According to recent research from Trend Micro, 2016 is going to usher in some ugly cybersecurity trends, including a rise in online extortion, an increase in the amount of Chinese mobile malware and the earliest intrusions of smart devices.
To make matters worse, recent cybersecurity assessments have highlighted several other, less well-known vectors of vulnerability. Among them is an increase in the amount of ammunition being leveraged against point-of-sale systems. Multiple new strains of malware have been discovered in the past few months that directly target PoS systems in an effort to steal payment card data, which can subsequently be sold on the dark Web. One of the biggest threats is memory-scraping malware, such as the recently discovered GamaPoS.
Who will be hit the hardest?
The short answer is any organization with even the slightest measure of vulnerability that can be exploited by hackers for a quick payday. However, companies that regularly store or process sensitive customer information such as Social Security numbers and payment card data are especially viable targets.This may include medical institutions, financial firms, telecoms and large retailers; all of these sectors have been targeted and breached in 2015.
"HIPAA and PCI compliance are more important than ever."
HIPAA and PCI compliance are more important than ever. In the wrong hands, medical records and patient data can be incredibly damaging. Likewise, any company that regularly handles payment information, such as online or brick-and-mortar retailers, restaurants, hotel chains and service providers will be in the line of fire. This is especially true for any company with a PoS system, as a slow but sure increase in the amount of memory-scraping PoS malware continues to unfold.
How fax solutions can help
Safe storage, processing and transferring of any data that may contain payment card information is a top priority for numerous organizations. Likewise, HIPAA compliance has provisions in place to protect sensitive patient data. In many cases, email and consumer file-sharing and messaging applications simply won't do the trick. Secure, end-to-end data transfers are therefore an essential capability for financial companies, large retailers and medical institutions.
Fax solutions allow for encrypted data transfers directly from point A to point B. This significantly reduces the threat of interception and increases internet fax security as information is en route to a given destination. Payment card data, medical records and personal information can therefore be safeguarded as it is shared between various departments or branches of an organization.
The beauty of Fax over IP in particular is that it is more mobile than legacy fax services. With email fax, FoIP can easily be integrated into a mobile UC strategy. Faxes can be sent and received securely on mobile devices. This means that professionals in finance or health care can achieve the level of security required by law without sacrificing the mobility afforded by email or consumer messaging applications.
Even though 2016 will most likely bring with it some of the most formidable cyberthreats to date, there are solutions for companies in the crosshairs to enhance cybersecurity without limiting their use of modern technology. FoIP is the perfect example of a cutting-edge communication tool that doesn't cut any corners when it comes to cybersecurity.
Enhance enterprise communication, collaboration and compliance efforts with a proven FoIP solution from FaxCore. Contact FaxCore today to learn more about their 'Partly-Cloudy' fax solutions.
