Think of a number between 1 and 1000. Now think higher, somewhere around 2000. If you guessed 1862, then you’d have guessed the number of United States data breaches in 2021 alone. As startling of a statistic as that is, so also are the headlines that accompany these incidents. Many of the deadlines associated with these breaches are riddled with sensationalism. As companies try to make sound decisions, it can be difficult to separate sensationalism from facts in tech news and develop a critical approach to understanding real cybersecurity threats.
The Anatomy of Sensational Headlines
Sensationalized headlines pose a problem because the main focus is more on hype and panic and less on information. How exactly? Take a look at this headline:
“2.9 billion hit in one of the largest data breaches ever — full names, addresses and SSNs exposed”.
Doesn’t that sound like a clickable headline? It absolutely reels in the reader, evoking fear, uncertainty, and doubt, a strategic combination called FUD.
Though this headline may inspire someone to click, what it’s not doing is providing a balanced view of what happened at a glance. This seemingly small difference can lead to misinformation or panic. With misinformation and panic at the forefront, it undermines a reader’s intent to stay informed and if necessary determine a course of action for their organization,
The Reality Behind the Headline
If you want to separate facts from fear, you’ve got to get to the reality behind the headline. Of course you can read the full article, but double back and really hone in on the facts to gain context. The context is the valuable information that not only informs you of the incident, but also helps you determine what, if anything, should be the next course of action at your organization.
Seek to understand the context of what’s happened in the article. Context can include aspects like the actual risk levels, geographical relevance, and the likelihood of the threat.
The reality behind the headline can also be revealed in looking closely at the data referenced. Remember the example of the Social Security Numbers (SSNs) from earlier? It’s widely known that use of SSNs is a U.S.-centric issue. If this article were to include references in the size of the breach involving non-U.S. data, that would overstate the impact for readers dealing with US data.
What would be helpful to know is, of the 2.9 billion affected, how much of the data was US-centric? An article dedicated to informing and not simply sharing current events would likely have an infographic, quick bullet points, or some other way of breaking out the specifics of the data involved. Better yet, if they’re credible, they may even have some next steps on what you can do if you believe that you’ve been impacted.
The Impact of Sensationalism
Sensantionalism’s impact is deeper than a surface layer annoyance of overblown headlines. It has the potential to negatively affect the decision making of businesses and individuals with their cybersecurity approach. In a fast paced world, we often skim headlines and news articles, reading far too quickly, and not truly taking in information being shared. Add sensationalism to the mix, and now you have the perfect opportunity to affect public perception and behavior–likely for the worse.
Constant exposure to exaggerated threats can lead to desensitization and misinformation. This is particularly bad not only for companies, but for the general public. People begin to think “oh it’s just another breach”, which leads to neglectful actions. Seeing as many cybersecurity incidents begin with an end user being compromised, businesses cannot afford for their employees to become complacent and misinformed.
Being misinformed can have financial consequences. Several large corporations have gotten caught up in the confusion of sensationalism and either made flawed business decisions, or worse, paid a ransom worth thousands or millions of dollars for data that wasn’t compromised to begin with.
Developing a Critical Approach to Cybersecurity
As fear inducing as the headlines may appear to be, you’re not at the mercy of them. Developing a critical approach to cybersecurity empowers you to think soundly and not fall into the trap of sensationalism. Here are some practical tips you can use today to safeguard your mind and business from the effects of fear in tech news:
- Question the Source: Assess the credibility of the news source and the author.
- Look for Corroboration: Cross-check information with multiple reputable sources.
- Understand the Terminology: Explain key terms and concepts to better understand tech news.
- Be Skeptical of Absolute Claims: Be wary of news that sounds too good or too bad to be true.
When reading tech news, you may think that yourself or your business has been compromised. It’s true that you don’t want to delay investigating something like this, but it’s best to do it when you’re not fueled by fear. Take a breath, think about the points above, and think about if you really need to take further action.
How TechBldrs Can Enhance Your Cybersecurity Posture
Fear in tech news can be scary, but we’re not scared of it! We’re no stranger to hearing stories great and small of bad actors and their schemes to compromise data, systems, and businesses. Not only are we not scared, we’re informed too! It’s important to keep a critical eye on tech news, separating fact from fiction, and providing our clients with real solutions.
Our unique services offered can help filter out the noise and focus on real cybersecurity threats. Enhance your cybersecurity posture with services like:
- Cybersecurity Training
- Firewall services
- Darkweb monitoring
- Multifactor Authentication
- Managed Detection and Response
Here at TechBldrs, we’ve successfully navigated clients through sensational headlines to focus on actual risks. From our blog to our newsletter, you can stay up-to-date on what’s happening in the industry so that you can separate fact from fiction and make an informed decision.
Reach Out to TechBldrs Today to Learn More
Making sound business decisions in the tech landscape relies on the importance of separating sensationalism from facts. Part of this includes recognizing the need for a vigilant approach to cybersecurity news. Thankfully, you don’t have to do it alone. TechBldrs can help!
We’re knowledgeable experts and pride ourselves on staying current with the latest cybersecurity news. We can offer real actionable assistance in safeguarding your IT environments from real threats. To start, check our newsletter for regular updates. When you’re ready to take a deeper dive, we can partner with you to schedule a consultation session to evaluate your current cybersecurity posture.