As the world progresses, so too does the way businesses operate. In particular, how marketing teams go about their work has changed dramatically in recent years.
Nowadays, marketing teams have access to a wealth of data and tools that weren’t available even a few years ago. This is thanks to technology, the rise of inbound and digital marketing, and the use of various cloud-based software programs and platforms.
However, while this increase in data and tools can benefit marketing teams, it can also pose a severe security risk to businesses. This is because most marketing team members are simply unaware of the enormous threat landscape relating to the protection of sensitive client, supplier, partner and employee data.
Businesses must ensure that all departments, especially those such as marketing, receive regular and ongoing measurable cyber security awareness training and are abreast of best practices.
This way, they can help protect the company from potential threats and keep sensitive data safe.
Some of the critical things to consider
- What programs and platforms do the marketing team use, and was a supplier risk assessment completed before implementing these tools?
- Are there relevant data protection and/or privacy policies and procedures in place for these platforms?
- Who has access to these programs and platforms?
- What type of data do they have access to?
- What are they doing with this data?
- Have the relevant cyber security controls been enforced on these platforms?
- Have these tools and platforms ever been assessed to ensure effective security configurations?
By considering these factors, businesses can help ensure that their marketing team is not putting their company’s cyber security posture at risk.
Some final thoughts
Cyber security is a vital issue for businesses of all sizes. When it comes to the teams in the business, including the marketing team, there are a few key things to keep in mind to assist in protecting the business from potential cyber threats.
First and foremost,
- Do we have adequate policies and procedures, which staff are aware of and trained on, relating to collecting, storing, processing or sharing sensitive information?
- Do we have adequate policies and procedures, which staff are aware of and trained on, relating to purchasing, downloading and installing new software?
- How will we control access to these systems and protect the information contained in them?
- Do we deliver regular, ongoing, measurable cyber security awareness training to our Marketing team?
The above is by no means exhaustive; however, by considering these factors, you can help safeguard your business from potential cyber risks posed by your marketing team.
How confident are you that your Marketing team isn’t inadvertently exposing your business? Not sure – let’s chat.
Despite all the hard work of your marketing team, it only takes one successful attack to bring all their great work crumbling down.
Whether it’s a risk from misconfigurations of your CRM, lack of appropriate security controls on your inbound/outbound marketing platforms, or poor password hygiene on social media or other platforms, we’re here to help.
Contact us today to find out more.
