The threat is real. International computer hackers are taking hostages, and they’re doing it with your help. If you are responsible for the security of your company website or network server, it’s up to you to make sure you’ve done your due diligence to keep users safe.
While the most obvious reason for keeping your site and network secure is protecting data, there are a few not-so-obvious reasons that Internet security should be important to you and your company. The following are worth considering:
- I feel so used. In many cases, it’s not the data hackers are looking for. Instead, they want to hijack your network to mask their dirty work. They spread malicious bugs and malware, and to users, it looks like it came from you. Not only could this ruin your reputation, it could carry a high price tag.
- Prevent empty shopping carts. With millions of people shopping online, the risk of identity theft can be scary. If you are responsible for an ecommerce site, you know that savvy consumers are checking to make sure you’ve done the work to keep them secure. If not, they’ll buy their stuff somewhere else – and you lose a customer.
- Pay now or pay later. You may think the price of securing your site is too high, and just not worth it. Your IT guys assured you that they’ve patched all the bugs. Don’t be the company to find out that the cost of cleaning up the technical and public relations mess after your network and data has been breached will cost you much more. A little prevention goes a long way, and in the end, it’s definitely worth it.
- Duty calls. The web belongs to all of us. We all want a safe experience for ourselves and for the youngest Internet users. Alone, each of us can make a difference in the online environment we provide to the public. Together, we’re a force to be reckoned with. There will always be black hat operators, but if digital citizens keep security standards high and demand a safe place to work and play, we all win.
