In the News
A long-term data breach has rocked another company. In Hackers went undetected in Citrix’s internal network for six months, Zack Whittaker at Tech Crunch discusses the data breach suffered by Citrix, an American software company. Whittaker explains that files containing Social Security Numbers (SSNs), financial payment information, and various other forms of personal information were stolen. Whittaker states that Citrix blames the breach on a technique called password spraying where commonly users’ passwords allow attackers to breach large-scale databases.
Our Take
The case for creating strong passwords is reinforced every time an incident like the one at Citrix occurs. Passwords can be the greatest protector to your account and information or the greatest weakness if they are not formed well. Utilizing some of the most common passwords is setting yourself up for potentially having your data stolen. In the case with Citrix, SSNs and financial information were exposed leaving individuals vulnerable to identity theft. The repercussions of failing to utilize safe password practices can be detrimental. We as consumers need to be more proactive about ensuring our data privacy. However, companies must also take similar steps. Citrix had its data breached for an extended time. The length of exposure can be key to reducing its damage, and as such, these companies must act accordingly either by their initiative or potentially through governmental regulations down in the near future.
Recommendations
How can you protect the privacy of your personal information while using social media?
- Understand the risks of putting your personal information into the world, and only share what you have to
- Use safe password practices, and take advantage of Multi-factor Authentication where possible
- Utilize additional security/privacy measures and settings on apps, accounts, and platforms whenever possible
- Check your email, financial accounts, and credit reports regularly for abnormal activities