In 2021, Not Sharing Is Caring

In the Information Age, it’s not just facts, figures, and celebrity gossip that are at our fingertips 24/7. With a few strokes of the keyboard and a Google Search window, you can find out almost anything about anyone. Including yourself. Now imagine what information sophisticated hackers can access, once they break through “secure” websites and extract even more delicate information. That’s why the best policy is to avoid having any of your personal information online, period. But how likely is that? With social media compelling people to share their whereabouts, activities, and even workplaces on massive public networks, the temptation to give out private information is constant. It’s become second nature to overshare about our social lives. But that could boil over to bad habits in the office.
For companies, the seemingly innocent sharing of information by employees, inside and outside of office hours, could lead to damaging consequences. “Employees with access to sensitive company information need to remember that oversharing and failing to observe proper data protection protocols can lead to a devastating breach,” writes NINJIO COO/CISO Matt Lindley in a recent Dark Reading article. He encourages employers and employees alike to adopt three principles of the “not sharing is caring” mindset:

Share Less: Don’t post pictures of work badges that contain serial numbers, barcodes, and other types of information that hackers can steal. Don’t post pictures of boarding passes during business trips. Don’t make announcements about leaving for work trips and events, in general.

Beware Insider Threats: Circumspect about any interaction that leads to a request for sensitive information. Always ask for credentials, confirm the request is legitimate, and remember that the inconvenience of a delay is far less harmful than the consequences of a cyberattack.

Be a Responsible Steward of Sensitive Information: Avoid sending company information to outside locations such as personal email accounts. Avoid oversharing on social media or anywhere else.

Most importantly, employees need to remember that ​​if they see something suspicious, they should always report it immediately— a.k.a. “See something, say something.” For more tips, read the full article on Dark Reading here.