Hacking and cyber criminal activity continues to grow and plague businesses of all sizes, and file sharing service Dropbox recently announced that information from 68 million user accounts that were hacked in 2012 recently appeared online. Dropbox is only one of several websites that have reported extensive hacking activity in the past few years.
When Dropbox released information about the hack in 2012, they didn’t reveal that user passwords were part of the leak. They only revealed that user email addresses had been collected in the hacking incident. However, even though the hackers were able to obtain the passwords, they remained encrypted even when they were stolen so that the hackers wouldn’t have had access to the actual passwords.
The IT and technology professionals of Magnet Solutions Group recommend that you update your password as soon as possible. Additionally, if that password was used in other accounts online, it’s a good idea to update those passwords, too. You may even want to take the opportunity to create more complex passwords than you’ve used in the past.
It’s good practice to update passwords on a regular basis with all online accounts, even if there has been no sign of hacking or suspicious activity with the account. Any online account is vulnerable to hacking or cyber theft, and it doesn’t take a massive hack for a criminal to steal your password. A hacker may seek out individual accounts rather than attempt a site-wide hack.
The takeaway for businesses here is that it should be company policy that no one is allowed to use consumer-grade cloud services. Although you may use Dropbox for your personal files or to share non-sensitive material with friends from your home computer, it’s important to employ a firm policy at work regarding the cloud services that may be used for company business.
If you are the owner of a small business where you operate out of your home, it’s essential that you abide by this same rule. You shouldn’t mix your home computer with your business computer, and you shouldn’t use consumer-grade services for your business. Even if you’re the only employee at your brand new business, it’s important to start your business on the right foot with professional cloud services and technical assistance.
Remember: Allowing employees to use consumer-grade cloud services reduces or even eliminates the control you have over your company’s data. You may even experience security problems and liability issues when you fail to use business-grade or professional cloud services.
Ensure your business is protected from the threat of cyber attacks and that your company’s data is protected with IT services provided by Magnet Solutions Group. Your business relies extensively on technology, and the integrity and security of your business’s data should be a top priority. Contact us today to see how our fully managed services and cloud solutions can help your business.