Wow, I guess writing this blog brings some perks after all. I’ve been nominated to ‘represent [my] professional community’ for every possible Who’s Who list, Facebook invitations are coming in fast and furious, I’m getting offered all kinds of free product subscriptions, and, judging from my message content, I think my 15 minutes of fame have finally arrived!
This is but one of the pitfalls of social media. Just having your name appear anywhere on the Net these days is like opening the floodgates for malware: the trickle soon turns into a tsunami. Thank goodness my quarantine is keeping up and keeping the increasing flow of Twitter viruses at bay.
There are many positive aspects to using social media, but many negative ones as well. Increasing numbers of businesses are getting on board and reaping the benefits of greater exposure and brand recognition. But they’re also exposing themselves to more malware, possible brand hijacking and greater risks of data leakage. These are the main concerns of most businesses as outlined in a report released this week by ISACA1 (formerly the Information Systems Audit and Control Association).
Worries range from loss of productivity time as employees surf these sites during working hours, to exposure to malware malicious downloads that can infect the network, to disclosure of proprietary information whether accidental or deliberate. Even private usage from home can cause problems if the machines are exposed to insecure applications (which are later accessed from work), or confidential work-related info is revealed, or they just plain embarrass themselves and their employers by association. It can be a potential minefield if you don’t take all the necessary precautions.
Since completely blocking access to these sites is counterproductive for most, ISACA recommends a multi-tiered approach: educate your users about acceptable vs. inappropriate use, apply policies to govern their behavior, and implement technology to monitor both inbound and outbound communications:
‘The vast majority of technical risks presented by social media are also found in the use of malicious e-mail and standard web sites. IT should have controls in place, both network-based and host-based, to mitigate the risks presented by malware. Suitable controls can include download restrictions, browser settings, data leak prevention products, content monitoring and filtering, and antivirus and antimalware applications.’
So, although it might have been cool to hang out with my new pal Angie for a bit (virtually speaking), I think I’ll continue to let my quarantine handle her invitations!
Reference:
1. http://www.isaca.org/Knowledge-Center/Research/Pages/Research.aspx
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