There is no where to hide from cybercrime

Mark Harrison

Author: Mark Harrison

Published 2nd November 2017

There is no where to hide from cybercrime

The media sector is an attractive target for cyber attacks of all kinds from malicious individuals who enjoy disrupting high profile shows, to organised criminals who are attracted by the value of content, to nation states aware that media is a way of conveying or distorting messages.

Such attention is hardly surprising, given the pervasiveness of media in contemporary society. But even though many companies appreciate these risks at the global level, they find it difficult to believe they really apply to them. The thinking is that unless you are a big-name brand, you are safe from cyber criminals.

Nowhere is this kind thinking more prevalent than among small and medium sized companies, such as production companies and specialist suppliers. These companies find it tempting to assume cyber criminals are bound to be attracted to the major players: why would they be bothered with a small, bespoke company?

The answer is: because its so easy. Coding is no longer the dark art it once was. These days, you need nothing more than an internet connection and a laptop to access the thousands of videos and websites from which you can learn all the necessary hacking skills. Its not as complex as many people wrongly- assume; something as simple as automated malware, which cruises the internet looking for an open port on a laptop or computer, can result in some of the biggest security breaches.

So, what should smaller companies, who cant afford to employ specialist security staff, do to make themselves less vulnerable?

The first stage is for everyone to understand their responsibility. But this is not as easy as it seems. There\'s a lack of understanding in this industry about where lines of responsibility lie, says Joel Sloss, Senior Programme Manager for Compliance at Microsoft Azure. The system particularly breaks down when content goes to be modified, or distributed. Theres a mentality that if I am using a major provider, they are taking care of all aspects of security for me, and I dont have to do anything.

But you do, because the accountability is shared with the customer. On top of the providers security foundation, theres all kinds of things that you need to take into account in your environment, such as password security, encryption, access control and rights management.

Naomi Carter, Group Director of Factual Production at Tinopolis recognizes this problem. It\'s true, she says. We get so focused on making programmes that we just assume that our suppliers are using best practice. Collaborating and working together is going to be absolutely crucial if we are to understand what we dont need to worry about as well as what we absolutely should pay attention to.

And this is where the DPPs new Committed to Security Programme comes in. The Programme provides a means by which all suppliers, big and small, can check they are following best practice, and demonstrate that commitment to others. Meanwhile the DPPs 10 Things You Need to Know About Cyber Security helps Production companies to understand their responsibilities.

No one can hide when it comes to cybercrime. But equally no one should try to hide. The best way to be secure is to share your knowledge and your vulnerabilities with others. It may sound paradoxical, but collaboration makes us stronger.

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