CyrberCrime: Part Two -The effects of CyberCrime

Whether your business is manufacturing, retail, wholesale, service, hospitality or high tech, it is probably experiencing some degree of employee & criminal theft via the Internet. The list of items stolen from employers is endless. In fact, it is estimated that 95 percent of all businesses experience theft and management is seldom aware of the actual extent of losses or even the existence of theft. When CyberCrime attacks your business or one of your employees, it can cost your business time, productivity and most of all, money. It is estimated that small- medium businesses lose thousands of dollars per incident. Some of the most common Internet Crimes that can affect your business are:

• Wireless & Network Intrusions
• SPAM, Viruses, Malware & Trojans
• Fake websites, URL's and Credit Card Fraud
• Employee Theft

So, how do these affect your business? Wireless & Network Intrusions

How would you like your company, your employees or yourself to be responsible for CyberCrime and you not even know it? All networks and wireless connections are a perfect safe haven for cyber criminals to work their magic. Cyber criminals hack into your network, assume your company and network identity; they then in turn steal from you and your clients. They can then send pornography and hate crime emails, fraudulent offers, etc. By taking over your company identity they are protecting themselves and exposing your company to unlawful practices. Protect yourself and your company: Apply updates, Secure your wireless with a WEP key*, and Enable firewalls

*WEP stands for Wired Equivalent Privacy, a standard for WiFi wireless network security. But what exactly are WEP keys? . A WEP key is a security code used on some WiFi networks. WEP keys allow a group of devices on a local network (such as a home network) to exchange encoded messages with each other while hiding the contents of the messages from easy viewing by outsiders.

SPAM, Viruses, Malware & Trojans: Computer viruses can be contracted through a variety of ways & come in many different forms. Viruses come from emails, infected software, free downloads (music or program) & general Internet surfing. Spam, Viruses, Malware & Trojans can be used to steal your identity and mass-market such items as porn and dating sites, pharmaceuticals and much more. By emailing you a virus and you opening it, Cyber criminals can use your computer and servers to mass email all types of advertising to hundreds of people making them believe that this information is coming from you. These unlawful emails can cause your domain (your email and website, i.e. sjkberinger.com) to be shut down, and your reputation and company to be non-existent.

Protect yourself and your company: Apply regular security updates, have SPAM filters in place, and Use Adware and/or anti-Spyware programs.

Fake websites, URL's and Credit Card Fraud: This is a growing problem. Cyber criminals are sending out emails that appear to be legit: your bank, wanting you to update your information, the government giving you a refund, your credit card company doubling your reward miles or friends and family sending you a card. When you or your employees fall for any of these frauds, you could be giving away private information to cyber criminals. Once these cyber criminals get your personal information they are off and running. They can use your information all over the Internet for unauthorized purchases, identity theft and even to access your bank account.

Protect yourself and your company: don't use links from emails to update personal information. Never give anyone your user name or password. Change your login password often, make sure you and your employees know your policies for the Internet & email use - go over them regularly.

Employee Theft: Employees are 95% of the problem when it comes to cyber crime. Without safeguards, any business is susceptible to fraud especially common forms of online check tampering, credit card abuse, database and personal information theft. Employees have access to a wealth of company information that can be used for embezzlement. They can use this information to steal your customers and/or steal their information and then use that information for their own personal gain. For instance they can use the credit cards for personal purchases and or sell that information to others.

Protect yourself and your company: Conduct surveys and audits of your business and have in place a Loss Prevention Program. Having procedures in place to protect you and your employee against employee theft might just help with employer/employee relationships.

Co-Author: Tina Hamrick, VP of OPs w/SJK Beringer Group,Inc.; President Elect for NAWBO