WEST FARGO — With threats to cybersecurity constantly on the rise, the issue has become the defining issue of our time.
That’s according to Rob Spiger, director of cybersecurity policy at Microsoft, who told an audience at the 2024 Midwest Technology Summit held here Thursday, Aug. 15, that despite the danger hackers pose there is still reason to hope.
Spiger said the number of dollars stolen by cyber criminals is astounding and he said the moving around of all that wealth constitutes the third largest economy in the world.
David Olson / The Forum.
Because online criminals are increasingly working in concert to victimize individuals, organizations and governments, Spiger said potential victims must also work together to answer the threat.
He said that means things like being transparent when attacks happen so that others can be warned and efforts made to understand the nature of the threat and how it works.
“Share information about incidents that happen,” Spiger said, adding that the bad actors are no longer individuals, but part of “an entire ecosystem” that has the goal of defeating the latest efforts to keep digital information safe.
Spiger said for businesses and organizations, a major way hackers enter data bases is through “phishing,” which means targeting individuals with emails that can unleash malicious software.
And while he said there are many things individuals and organizations can do to harden their security, Spiger noted that one simple and effective way is to switch to multi-factor authentication for logging into accounts, a process that requires users to enter more information than just a password.
Such a change, he said, will block 99% of attacks.
Spiger suggested organizations consider occasionally sending phishing emails to employees.
Company officials can see who is tricked and have a conversation with the employees, Spiger added.
Following his talk, Spiger moderated a panel of experts who shared tips on cybersecurity.
One member of the panel, Ryan Cloutier, a self-professed hacker who does cybersecurity consulting work, echoed Spiger when he said it can be helpful for organizations to experience, in a controlled way, what happens when something like a server hijacking occurs.
“Demonstrations really drive home the point,” Cloutier said.
According to Spiger, increasing digital security has become a major priority at Microsoft where he said executive pay is tied to security performance.
“It (security consciousness) is permeating through the entire company. This is a huge change within Microsoft,” Spiger said.
