(I recently had the honor of writing an article for an internal publication at Interstates where I work as an IT Support Specialist so I figured I would share it here on my blog as well!)
The residents of a small town in Florida were nearly poisoned when a hacker used a program called “TeamViewer” to hack into a computer and multiply the dosage of sodium hydroxide nearly 100 times above the normal level. Thankfully, the employee sitting at the computer realized what was happening and was able to stop the process before it became serious. Due to this seemingly small vulnerability (they were all using the same password), this small town almost succumbed to poisoning, sickness, and death.
One of our values at Interstates is a commitment to safety. As our world – and company – becomes more reliant on technology we need to remember that prioritizing safety must extend into our digital practices. The greatest vulnerability in a computer network is not outdated systems, shared passwords, or malware. Instead, the vulnerability most exploited by hackers is the “human vulnerability.” Hackers use various forms of social engineering through email, text messages, and phone calls to deceive companies and wreak havoc on organizations (even, at times, seeking to poison water systems).
At Interstates, we are committed to all forms of safety – including digital safety. One of the ways we do this is by running “phishing campaigns” which seek to stimulate these forms of social engineering to bring awareness to this very real danger. The goal of these phishing campaigns is not to trick users but rather to come alongside of users in a friendly, helpful, and understanding way to help you succeed with this new form of safety.
Sun Tzu, the author of the famous book, “The Art of War”, explained the importance of understanding our “enemies” –
“If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.”
The reality is there are enemies who seek to manipulate, attack, and destroy others through digital technology. Our goal is to help you know yourself, know your enemy, and rise above the digital battles waged against our company.
Tyler Ramsbey 