In yet another reason why it’s not a good idea to say you hate your boss on Facebook, Eric O’Neill, FBI operative and security expert, notes that it’s the “human element” that often poses the greatest risk to network security.
Hackers don’t just spend hours online looking for information, they spend hours on social networking sites, public websites, and other open source platforms.
“If I were to try to steal from you, I would examine your personnel, and today I’d start on Twitter, Facebook, and look at as many people involved with you that I can find,” said O’Neill. “I would look for people who talked about how they hated their boss. I’d find out where they like to hang out and I’d go see what they had to say,” he said.
Many companies, and individuals, are much too trusting, especially when it comes to affiliations and partnerships, O’Neill noted. Some adversaries will set up entire companies, or nonprofits, and try to lure their target into a seemingly legitimate relationship. Once the door is open, it’s hard to prevent the risk.
It demonstrates that as tight as one might keep physical security, without solid training for employees, and a clear understanding of the hazards even seemingly irrelevant data might pose in the wrong hands, your company or organization is still in danger of a cyber breach.
