THE COST OF
CONNECTIVITY
BY J. LYNN FRASER
I nterconnected ‘smart’ machinery, as well as autonomous equipment and vehicles, are increasingly used in sectors across Canada. In landscaping, agriculture and construction, for example, this interconnectedness increases efficiency and revenue, reduces labour costs and collects useful data about the environment within which the business operates. Unfortunately, cybersecurity vulnerabilities have also increased. Cybercriminals may target small- to medium-sized businesses, knowing they may not have dedicated IT departments to ensure network security. Targeting hardware vulnerabilities such as personal computers, USB drives and mobile devices, hackers can access automated and interconnected equipment and servers to gain access to your client and financial data, proprietary business or personal information, intellectual property and even your money. Additionally, they know your staff lets their guard down when they think they are in seemingly safe places like the office or in the field. Cybercrime methods Sixteen per cent of Canadian businesses in 2023 and 70 per cent of individuals in 2022 were affected by a cybercrime attempt. Individuals are the weak point in a business’s cybercrime defences. Hackers use staff curiosity and better natures against them when they are dealing with emails. Scams and fraud are two of the most common cybercrimes. Emails are a common route for cybercriminals. There are business email compromise emails, such as an impersonation designed to steal information. A phishing email will try to obtain identity or credit card information. In spear phishing, the sender pretends to be a trusted individual using an email targeting a specific individual. An oft-cited example of a U.S. ransomware attack is that of OutWest Express in 2015. An email contained what seemed to be an ordinary message with a resume
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