Balance Nimble Business Processes With Strong Cybersecurity

Balance Nimble Business Processes With Strong Cybersecurity

April 15, 2020

The final edition of the JMEA Instagram Live Series “The Productive Sector Speaks, Measures Against COVID-19” focused on cybersecurity challenges and solutions. The episode that was broadcast on April 14, highlighted the danger that enterprises face when they change process without adjusting safeguards around communication.

Leading the presentations were: Gordon Foote, Director of bSmarte Logistics, a company offering ICT, logistics and business strategy counselling; and Kevin Gordon of Simply Secure, a business offering cybersecurity services.

Foote said that the changes to protect fallout caused by the COVID-19 public health emergency has unwittingly opened up new risks. Companies were changing how communication moves around an organisation without adjusting resilience of the cybersecurity. It is noted that the Jamaica Survey of Establishments (JSE) 2019 published by the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) with research done by STATIN noted that 66.3% of establishments in Jamaica use the Internet in its operations. STATIN reports that in 2017, 36.9% of households had a computer, and 53.4% of households had access to the Internet, which includes mobile data. We can anticipate that some persons working from home are using mobile devices and computers that are shared by others in the household and may not have strong cybersecurity features.

Foote cautioned that producers that allow staff to access the corporate network using personal digital devices should have end point protection on the network. Malware that may be on personal devices, caused by naively clicking a link in an email, can easily move into the company’s computer network, and a hacker can gain control of the network, close it down and hold the company to ransom.

This prevalence of email should be of relevance to businesses, as The JSE noted that 94.5% of establishments that use the Internet, use email. In terms of business functions, 73.1% use the Internet to share information about goods and services, 49.1 to do Internet banking and 48.7% to process payments online and 41.5% to access other financial services.

Gordon added that persons whose communications are critical to the success of the business should receive awareness training in cybersecurity and also how to identify telephone scam fraud.

He explained that any job function with actions that cascade through a company - such as the CEO and individuals who have administrator access to the computer network - are critical to the company’s security.

He noted that if a hacker got access to these persons’ emails and sent instructions from them to move cash, product, vehicles, or other assets, this could could affect the entire business, and also the reputation of the company.

He itemised examples of risky behaviour including: giving administrator access to everyone who uses the system; allowing thumb drives into networked computers; and not having end point protection – appropriate to the business - on networks that allow outside computers to log in.

Suggesting solutions, Foote said that a company should assess if and how any change in a business process will impact communication. He candidly said that what can make your life easier can also make it less secure.

Gordon announced a special 30- day cybersecurity offer to all JMEA members and manufacturers in Jamaica to help them to stay strong while they keep production going in the country. The offer is accessed through Foote at bSmarte.

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