Cyber Learnings from the WSA
Cyber security is important and getting security systems in place to prevent an attack is imperative. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving and no matter how well protected you are, it only takes one wrong click to infiltrate a network. This means that, as well as having defences set up, you also need to ensure that you have a plan in place and some measures should your business be affected by an attack.
The WSA was subject to an attack by internet trolls at a recent zoom event. Despite having run similar events for a whole year, this was the first time it had happened to us. We are taking the matter very seriously and are working with Zoom to identify the perpetrators, but we are also looking to learn from the experience and pass on this knowledge to our members.
We wanted to reaffirm that security settings and protocols should be in place and double checked for each scheduled webinar. Roles & responsibilities need to be clarified at the outset and multiple trial runs should be conducted. There are many licence options and security measures with the various broadcast platforms, so selecting the right set-up at the outset is imperative and will ensure you’re less susceptible to such breaches. Managing a session for your team, or 100 sector colleagues, versus a wider open session with members of the public in attendance requires different plans and measures and will come with a different price point. Continuous training is paramount too as new features are added to these platforms regularly e.g. the ability to Pin & Spotlight multiple people on the Zoom platform. There are recorded Zoom training sessions located here, which we should all be reviewing as a next step. Â
Cyber risk is now widely accepted as being one of the top emerging risks, as the pace of technological change continues to grow. Did you know that nearly half of businesses (46%) and a quarter of charities (26%) have reportedly been affected by breaches or attacks in the last 12 months, according to the Cyber Security Breaches Survey 2020? It doesn’t matter whether you run a small business or a large global enterprise, no-one is 100% safe from a cyber attack. 
As organisations, leisure centres and clubs continue to run sessions online, it’s imperative to ensure teams have the correct set-up and training in place to do so safely. There are also attacks that happen to businesses that arise from a member of staff clicking on a phishing email or link.  As organisations plan for their phased return to sport, there may be an increased risk of scam or phishing emails disguised as legitimate emails from customers, clients, government or service providers.  These often link to malicious software which allows cybercriminals to conduct their attack on your business. We’d recommend spreading awareness amongst your staff about how they can spot phishing emails and what they should do if they receive anything suspicious in their inboxes.  Please utilise our digital support services page here for further support.
It’s not just the cost of a reputational damage, data breach or damage to IT systems and networks that organisations have to worry about, there’s also the risk of stolen funds, cyber extortion from ransomware or loss of revenue for example, as a result of a cyber attack which compromises electronic systems, as well as then replacing any stolen or infected devices.
WSA are fortunate to work with partner Watkin Davies who have advised and provided us with a comprehensive insurance policy to not only protect us against Cyber risks but also support us with risk management and crisis containment.   We would recommend getting in touch.
