A business used to protect itself by locking its doors, but the Internet and mobile technology have increased the need to safeguard. While the Internet provides leads and new opportunities that may have not been generated otherwise; there are many risks that did not exist previously. In April we covered Congress’ cyber security initiatives and recently Secretary of State John Kerry, addressed cyber security as an international issue during his trip to South Korea.
Secretary Kerry conveyed the importance of the Internet and how it contributes to a person’s freedom. He emphasized the role America plays in promoting and maintaining cyber stability. In addition to international law that applies to the cyberspace, Secretary Kerry provided five guidelines that all Internet using countries can observe.
1. “No country should conduct or knowingly support online activity that intentionally damages or impedes the use of another country’s critical infrastructure.”
2. “No country should seek either to prevent emergency teams from responding to a cyber security incident, or allow its own teams to cause harm.”
3. “No country should conduct or support cyber-enabled theft of intellectual property, trade secrets, or other confidential business information for commercial gain.”
4. “Every country should mitigate malicious cyber activity emanating from its soil, and they should do so in a transparent, accountable and cooperative way.”
5. “Every country should do what it can to help states that are victimized by a cyber attack.”
It is important for businesses to stay aware of international guidelines, laws and industry trends. Digital is continuing to dominate and e-commerce is growing; therefore, companies can easily conduct business anywhere in the world. EVS offers International Consumer Identity Verification to assist businesses with knowing who their customers are and to protect against identity fraud. Awareness is key for protection, so pairing the software and knowledge can prepare businesses for the risks.
