In this modern age so many people invest in private bodyguards and smart high-tech security systems to monitor their homes. The construction of safe houses for the super-rich is a big business, however there is an element of security that is often overlooked.
Celebrities, VIPs and international figures are being protected by men who are five times their size, with large bulges in their jackets and would deter all but those with only a modicum of sanity. They travel in bulletproof cars and live in impregnable fortresses. You would be forgiven for thinking that many of these public figures are actually super villains, trying to protect themselves and their evil schemes from the latest caped crusader.
But physical protection is not the only form of security that people in the public eye have been investing in. More and more high profile figures are putting cyber defences in place. Defences that go beyond the Big Brother CCTV systems that, in an attempt to keep them safe from the outside world, record every moment of their private lives. Although there are a lot of ‘muscle for hire’ companies in India, there are precious few technology security companies providing cyber security for private clients, rather than just the larger corporate giants.
EncSec however are experts in the field of private client cyber and communications security. EncSec launched its line of tailor-made cyber and communication systems for celebrities, HNWI’s, VIPs and businesses in the UK in 2013. EncSec know what it takes to protect people in prominent positions from criminals operating in the digital age.
The homes of those in the public eye are not well kept secrets, the size of the buildings and the small army of private security often give the game away. These expensive properties act as a beacon to cyber attackers, signalling which networks to target and the neighbours that they need to visit. They will target neighbours to try and access financial data, as well as the more serious elements of private data that can lead not only to identity theft but also blackmail. Evil hackers and destructive viruses lurking on your hard drive aren’t the only risks when it comes to cyber theft and security.
It also doesn’t require someone hacking into your computer system in order to get hold of your data. They only have to steal your laptop or another device that you use. It can be something as small as a CD or USB drive containing sensitive data going missing from your bag and being picked up by the wrong hands when you weren’t looking.
“Data theft is something that is on the rise and those who are in high profile positions are often targeted by cyber criminals. They are not only looking to steal personal data, but financial information as well,” says Graeme Batsman, Security Director of EncSec. “People can be incredibly careful with their data, but still become victims of cyber-crime. It isn’t just a flaw in security that allows hackers access, but flaws in tablets, PCs, laptops and even the system you use to access the Internet.”
Currently India ranks at number three on the list of countries most at risk from cyber-attacks and with good reason. India has seen a significant increase in cyber-attacks in the last year with an increase from 15% against the financial sector to 34%. Attacks against the government sector have risen from 19% to 45%. With many experts, including the President of Arbor Networks, stating that mutli-layered cyber defences are needed in India. He also says that there is no way that the current talent pool and threat-handling capabilities of India can cope with the challenge.
This can clearly be seen from the hacking breaches that occurred on Rahul Gandhi’s private email server. Passwords were stolen and the Internet address of the websites amethinet and raebareli were changed causing them to become completely unavailable, redirecting users to an engineering college website instead. The sites that were targeted had been created specifically to address voters during the election campaigns.