We live in an era where there is pressure to share. We’re encouraged to have our profiles on LinkedIn, to promote our businesses on social media, and to keep customers informed via blogs and website. 

Whilst it’s highly useful to keep your customers and potential customers informed, we’d also issue a word of caution. 

Be aware that it’s not just customers that enjoy reading your material; hackers love it too. 

In our private lives we understand that it’s not sensible to publicise that we’re off on our holidays – why make yourself a target for burglars. The same can be said for business communications, although areas for concern are more subtle. However, the consequences are similar – give too much information away and you encourage unscrupulous individuals to break in. 

If you’ve recently listened to Steve Cole on Newton’s Nuggets you’ll have heard the tale of the MD who was away with some of his team at a foreign business event. Understandably, the MD felt attendance was newsworthy and had publicised via his various marketing channels. Fraudsters saw the MDs absence as an opportunity to strike. 

Using the extensive About Us information on the company’s website, fraudsters knew exactly who worked within the business and were able to target an individual within the Finance department. Registering a domain VERY similar to the company domain they sent a series of emails. Fortunately, the staff member eventually concluded that the tone of voice used in the email was ‘off’ – but this was after an extensive email exchanged. An attack was avoided, but it so nearly wasn’t the case. 

We’re not suggesting that you keep yourselves to yourselves and obliterate your marketing effort. But we would encourage you to be diligent. Think carefully about what you’re sharing; would the information be useful to fraudsters? Could you be leaving your company open to a cyberattack? 

Whilst a business must be attractive to customers, it needs to be unattractive as a cyberattack target. Balance the benefits of marketing communication with IT Security. 

If you’re not sure what to share please do ask our advice; we’ll be happy to help keep your business safe from attack.

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