Sony Entertainment, the Department of Defense Central Command, now Anthem...Pretty large names with extensive digital assets - both public and private information. The hacking these respected institutions received was met mostly with shock by the public and embarrassment by the organizations themselves. Even more importantly, it raises a lot of questions about how content and digital assets are being managed, stored and distributed internally and to the general public. Questions we all need to be asking ourselves right now.
Its a gross overstatement to say that online security is important. In a media age where companies tweet, email, post online, etc., we take for granted how those processes happen behind the scenes and how that digital information can be hacked by the wrong people. Here’s some quick solutions to reduce the hacking risk and still manage your content safely and effectively.
Who Do You Trust Your Content & Branding To?
We all have talented team members responsible for what content is posted online and distributed through our social media channels. Do you have a process in place to edit and approve content before it goes live? Are you trusting social media channels to staff that might not have the experience to make decisions on what is appropriate and not appropriate for your brand? Those individuals are the instruments in delivering your message, it would be a good idea to make sure they’ve been vetted, that they’re security risk is minimized as well. As we said, we all have wonderful communication staff, and we don’t want to be paranoid, but what is their online exposure risk?
Multiple Application Platforms Can Compromise Your Security
Count how many applications you use to deliver your message. You likely have a Social Media platform, a Cloud storage platform, an Email Distribution application, maybe even a Content Management System to post content to your website. All that exposure poses inherent online security risks that can be minimized by consolidating platforms and applications. There are some great options out there that can handle your Social Media, Email Distribution, Web Posting, and even your cloud storage - and in full disclosure my company does that - all from One Application. By consolidating to one system you reduce your risks by managing users and who accesses your system from one controlled point of entry. You also add process workflows that can screen content before it enters cyberspace and causes potential damage. And of course that can save you money, but any time you can reduce your security exposure by all means do it!
Social Media - Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, LinkedIn -Oh My!
We can’t escape Social Media - embrace it, enjoy it, and take advantage of its benefits in your overall PR and Marketing strategy. But just like I asked above - who is posting to your social channels? The question I also ask is Do you know Who has access and authority to post to your social media channels? Its not about being a control freak, its about controlling access to the select few you’ve decided can post your message. After the DoD Central Command Social Media sites were hit, I can guarantee military personnel are rethinking their social media presence, security access is being checked, processes are being evaluated.
We want our online experiences for our site visitors and for ourselves to be as risk-free as possible. Unfortunately though we live in a world with some really bad people who view social media channels and websites as entry points to wreak havoc and cause possible harm. Your IT does a great job monitoring your security, but you can help too with the simple questions raised above. If you still have questions, give us a call.
