Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2019

Omnitracs

As fleets continue their digital transformation journey, they’re embracing powerful solutions like next generation analytics and cloud technology. New technology investments are helping fleet managers understand how to best allocate resources, while ensuring drivers stay compliant with the latest Hours of Service (HoS) regulations. These opportunities are built on data and are changing the way trucking companies think about their long-term growth.

 

That said, building data-driven, smart fleets doesn’t come without risk. As technology advances, so does the ability of malicious actors to infiltrate systems and access sensitive data like employee or customer information for their own ill intent, which can have significant consequences. In fact, research has shown that the average cost of a data breach in 2019 is $3.92 million, a 1.5 percent increase from last year. The growing impact of these attacks requires businesses to prioritize proper security measures in order to keep critical data safe. 

 

With National Cybersecurity Awareness Month just around the corner, we’ve outlined why it’s imperative to keep your fleet secure:

 

  • Minimize fleet disruption. There are many types of attacks that hackers can deploy against a business in order to gain access to internal systems. For fleets, Denial-of-Service (DoS) and Distributed-Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks are particularly impactful, as they can shut down networks entirely. In doing so, they disrupt operations and ultimately the entire supply chain. Fleets need to keep moving, and strong security practices, like third-party access monitoring and multi-factor authentication, can ensure operations don’t come to a grinding halt.

 

  • Maintaining trust among drivers and customers. A primary target for any business is the personal and sensitive information it collects on employees and customers alike. From social security numbers to banking records –customers should trust that businesses are handling this data with the utmost care. Once a breach happens and it’s put at risk, trust can be tremendously difficult to earn back. If you’re thinking about security after an attack, it’s already too late. 

 

  • Ensuring confidence in the latest technology. As 5G networks and artificial intelligence mature, these solutions are poised to create even more opportunities for trucking organizations undergoing a digital transformation. Insecure networks, however, can leave them vulnerable to attack. Taking preventative measures, like updating network infrastructure to support the implementation of new technologies, is an important step. Security concerns shouldn’t hold fleets back from adoption, as it can widen the gap between competitors. A solid security foundation ensures that businesses can capitalize on the latest technology as quickly and securely as possible. 

 

As Cybersecurity Awareness Month kicks off in October, stay tuned for more from our leading security experts. In the meantime, learn how Omnitracs is combating vulnerabilities in fleet security to build more intelligent fleets: https://www.omnitracs.com/blog/unveiling-vulnerabilities-build-more-secure-future