"I'm not a tempting target for cybercriminals": how this mindset may harm people and companies

Have you ever caught yourself thinking something like: "I'm not a tempting target, why would a cybercriminal want my data?".

Well, this false sense of security affects not only people, but companies, too, and is a real danger that may result in serious cybersecurity negligence. 

After all, if an individual or organization believes they are not a potential target, it’s far easier for them to neglect their online protection.

Small companies, big targets

Some companies believe that they are somehow protected from cybercrime because they are small, believing that their industry is likely not all that interesting to cybercriminals or because they don't have too many technological operations.

However, these assumptions couldn't be further from the truth. According to the 2022 Spear Phishing report: Top Threats and Trends, small businesses are three times more likely to suffer a cyberattack than large companies. 

What's more, according to the same report, an employee of a small business is likely to be targeted 350% more than an employee at a larger company.

The reason? Lack of resources invested in cybersecurity – whether in terms of technology or education.

After all... what does cybercrime matter?

The fact is: if your company handles any kind of data, whether that of employees, customers or suppliers, or processes financial transactions of any kind, that's all it takes! That’s certainly enough to entice cybercriminals. 

That's because, unlike what we see in many movies and series, cybercriminals aren't always looking for trade secrets or ways to bypass complex security systems. In most cases, they are after information considered "simple": an email, a date of birth, a cell phone number, an address... 

With just a few fragments of data, it’s possible to send a fake email to an employee requesting a password to access a system, or even schedule a fake visit to a company, pretending to be an equipment supplier, for example.

The danger of illegal data trading

And, of course, when it comes to accessing and illegally trading data, any company – or individual – is a potential victim. Literally any kind of information matters.

Personal data, banking data, health data, access credentials and much more can be traded illegally on the dark web. This means that, by failing to take the necessary care with cyber security, your company's information – or that of employees, clients and related partners – could be available on online forums on the deep web and used in the future for fraud of all kinds.

This exposure of information can obviously result not only in financial damage, but also a series of legal and regulatory implications, as well as a loss of reputation in the market.  

What about individuals?

When we talk about ordinary citizens, the scenario is pretty much the same. Unless you're a totally analog person with no information registered anywhere on the internet – and we assume that's not the case, since you're reading this article – you need to be very careful with your information. 

It only takes a few fragments of data for a cybercriminal to be able to transfer your phone line to another SIM card or impersonate you to a relative or close friend via WhatsApp. 

The importance of cybersecurity awareness

Whether for companies or individuals, cybersecurity awareness is your best ally! 

Understanding cyber threats and adopting good security practices to protect personal, financial and corporate information is essential in a world that is increasingly structured around a growing number of technologies and processes. 

In the case of companies, the best way to avoid headaches and losses is to implement regular training for employees to make them aware of the latest threats and how to identify possible attacks.

And how about approaching this in a lighthearted and fun method? Learn more about hackerrangers.com, the platform 100% dedicated to cybersecurity and general data protection law awareness! :)