New Article Now Published by the ECT on The Importance of Cyber Security

EDINBURGH, Scotland - May 19, 2017 - PRLog -- Cyber Security has evolved drastically since it was first developed.  People often associate cyber security with computers, but it actually has a far broader application than just this. The first instance of a cyber attack was in 1903, when magician Nevil Maskelyne disrupted John Ambrose Fleming's demonstration by sending insulting Morse code messages that were projected onto the auditorium's screen!

Modern-day Hackers have had 114 years to upgrade and improve at breaking down cyber security systems. Tool and methods for hacking have increased as the internet has grown and it is now much easier to attack a business or an individual in this way. These tools have become known as "Exploit Kits" and are designed to exploit human weakness or vulnerabilities in your PC or Servers; those who operate these tools have been dubbed as "Script Kiddies".

Effective cyber security is not necessarily about protecting a network, as most Hackers will not attempt to attack a network but instead will target a website or a server. Accessing networks is more difficult for Hackers, as most individuals and businesses have a firewall in place which are difficult for Hackers to penetrate.

Minimum cyber security requirements for a network should be as follows:
- Endpoint Protection
- Firewall
- Intrusion Detection System / Intrusion Prevention System
- Web Filtering Software
- Radius Server
- Logging Software
- Encryption

Businesses can incur huge fines for failing to protect and handle data effectively. The PCI Security Standards Council are now urging all businesses to ensure they meet the requirements necessary to keep their data secure, especially since there will now be new charges and fines under EU Data Protection Laws. These new laws could see businesses immediately bankrupted by up to £122 Billion in fines.

A staggering 90% of large businesses declared security breaches in 2015, which led to an estimated 1.4 Billion in losses due to the fines incurred. The current penalty for a data breach is £500,000, however by 2018 the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will have introduced new fines that will be a minimum of €20 Million, or 4% of the business' annual turnover, whichever is the greatest.

You can read about how best to protect your company from Cyber Security attacks using the following article: https://theect.org/importance-cyber-security/