Are CEO's to blame for Data Breach?

Data breaches are unfortunately becoming more and more common with each passing day. It seems like every few weeks, another catastrophic security breach strikes one of the biggest corporations on the planet. The hack that struck Sony in the closing weeks of 2014, for example, is expected to cost tens of millions of dollars in IT costs alone to clean up. Due to the increased frequency at which these attacks occur, it's natural to wonder who exactly is to blame. Many companies are placing the blame at the top of the proverbial food chain and are looking into the idea that the CEOs of these organizations may be primarily responsible for these types of attacks.

The Data Breach: Are CEOs To Blame?

Many companies believe that CEOs are to blame when a data breach occurs for two very important reasons. First, CEOs are commonly responsible for setting priorities within an organization. If a CEO decides that cyber security is not a high priority, that one decision could open up that company to a breach as a result.

Secondly, CEOs are also usually responsible for deciding how much money is being spent in which aspects of the business. Simply put, if a CEO isn't giving IT professionals the money and resources that they need to properly protect against cyber security threats, that CEO is then directly responsible if a breach does eventually occur.

The Solution That Businesses Have Been Waiting For

One of the most common causes of a data breach has to do with a general lack of security regarding file sharing. Techniques like e-mailing are astoundingly ineffective due to the ease at which information can not only be intercepted, but also due to the way that accounts can easily be hacked.

FTP (file transfer protocol) is a type of technology that not only allows for easy file sharing, but also includes a number of security provisions that help keep data safe while in transit and while at rest. FTPS and SFTP both use encryption, for example, which essentially "scrambles" data to the point where it would be unreadable if intercepted.

Regardless of who is to blame for a data breach, it's clear that this is the type of problem that needs to be addressed at all costs moving forward. Businesses can't just stop utilizing technology to collaborate and share information, as doing so would severely impact what they're capable of in the modern environment in which we now live. Solutions like secure FTP, that not only offer easy file sharing capabilities but also strong security features that keep information protected, are one of the most valuable resources that organizations have to ward off these types of attacks on a daily basis.

 Key Takeaways:

• Many companies are looking into the idea that CEOs may be responsible whenever a data breach occurs.
• FTP in general not only creates an easier environment through which to share information, but FTPS and SFTP also include a number of security features that will help keep data protected at all times.