How to Spot a False Sense of Security

Claudiu’s Observation: This week's theme is dedicated to spotting "a false sense of security", a simple phrase that is at the root of just about all security breaches, data theft and cybersafety scenarios. Think of every incident that has ever occurred and consider the steps that would have prevented it. It's unlikely that you can't think of any positive action that would have improved the course of events.

Everyone knows the myth of absolute security. But the assumption of sufficient security is often made in the absence of evidence. Why do people and companies prefer to look the other way, when they know that a degree of risk awaits? Why postpone taking the right steps and bet that it won't happen to today?

This optimism bias presents an opportunity for the public, investigators and intrepid journalists to ask... where is/was the evidence to support the notion that a breach would not occur?

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The so-called “cyber-kidnapping” trend targeting immigrant and Asian families is not a new phenomenon, but rather a calculated exploitation of human nature by organized criminals. Amidst headlines exploiting fear, uncertainty, and doubt, it’s crucial to recognize the use of buzzwords and alarming narratives, as indulging in sensationalism poses a risk to our trust, privacy, and security.

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Breach forced the department to shut down some internal services and appears to have compromised the data and emails of employees.

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The illusion of security allows the public to make assumptions in both cases: in the absence of evidence and in the absence of confirmation. In each case, reporters need to ask: if true, what corrective actions can be taken at the individual level, at the municipal level (i.e. law enforcement), at the regional level (i.e. collaboration and policy-driven corrective actions), at the national level (i.e. legislation reform) and at the geopolitical level, where cyberwarfare can take on an entirely different dynamic.

Questions that can be asked:

For professional analysis and media soundbites by a certified security and privacy expert with 35 years of experience, click here to request an interview with Claudiu Popa, author of the Canadian Cyberfraud Handbook, CEO of Datarisk Canada, President of Managed Privacy Canada and co-founder of the KnowledgeFlow Cybersafety Foundation, Canada's only non-profit dedicated to bringing digital literacy to vulnerable sector audiences via accredited data protection professionals.