Ransomware or malware? According to a recent Kaspersky survey [1], management in Germany considers cyber threats (47 percent) to be as big a risk to their company as the current deteriorating economic environment (47 percent), but at the same time there is a lack of understanding of basic cybersecurity-related issues Terms. For example, supposedly common terms such as malware or ransomware cause confusion.
Whether Sky Deutschland or T-Mobile [2] - while cyber attacks seem to be increasing in Germany, the topic of cyber security is not a constant agenda item in board meetings for less than half (46 percent) of the management team. The lack of integration of the topic into the agenda may be due, among other things, to the fact that many managers do not fully understand the terms.
For almost half (46 percent) of C-levels in Germany, technical jargon and industry terms currently represent the biggest hurdle to cybersecurity - even ahead of budget restrictions (44 percent). The following terms are therefore confusing for management:
- Malware (40 percent)
- Zero-day exploit (40 percent)
- Phishing (39 percent)
- Ransomware (38 percent)
- APTs (36 percent)
It is therefore less surprising that more technical jargon, such as IoC (Indicator of Compromise, 56 percent), YARA rules (54 percent) or TTPs (Tactics, Techniques, and Procedures - 54 percent) are often not understood.
“Our results indicate that the lack of prioritization of cybersecurity in senior management could, among other things, be due to a lack of understanding of the terminology on the part of management,” explains Christian Funk, head of the Global Research and Analysis Team (GReAT) in the DACH region at Kaspersky.
“Cyber security must not fail because of communication. Forwarding relevant incidents to the executive floor - in an understandable and clear manner, without resorting to vague language or complex technical jargon - is often both challenging and essential for a long-term functioning and, above all, safe operation.”
The full Kaspersky study “Do you speak cybersecurity?” Threat Intelligence – Do decision-makers know what cyber threats they are confronted with and how to respond correctly?” is available at kas.pr/ti-report
[1] kas.pr/ti-report / The survey was conducted by Censuswide on behalf of Kaspersky in September 2022, surveying 1,800 C-level decision-makers in companies with more than 1,000 employees in 12 countries (including Germany - 100 , Austria – 50, Switzerland – 50).
In this context, the participants provided answers to questions about cybersecurity in their company, the protective measures taken and the challenges they face as a management team. [2] https://www.csoonline.com/de/a/diese-unternehmen-has-s-schon-erwacht,3674038
Source: Press release / Kaspersky
Also read: Malware in the router – an underestimated danger
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