By Ahmad Inam. July 24, 2024.
The broad adoption of HR recruitment and management software has caught the attention of cybercriminals, triggering new scams and attacks to gain access to employee and applicant data.
For example, 88% of organizations worldwide have been victims of “sophisticated” spear-phishing strikes (ProofPoint). Unfortunately, HR professionals have become a top target.
Why Data Security Matters
Employee and candidate data contains highly sensitive personal information, such as contact details, Social Security numbers, employment histories, and even financial and medical information. If compromised, these data breaches can lead to severe consequences for individuals and organizations, including financial losses, legal repercussions, and reputational damage.
Tips to Protect Yourself and Your Data
Common HR cyberattacks to be on the lookout for include:
Credential Stealing:
Fraudsters try to capture your email and password by sending you a link that impersonates your HR software providers’ login pages.
Always check before you click. Does the “from” email address match the domain? Examine the URL for inconsistencies, and look for spelling and grammar mistakes. Or consider bookmarking login pages vs. clicking through email links to ensure you always sign into the right site.
Business Email Compromise (BEC):
These attacks involve criminals accessing or spoofing business email accounts of trusted figures within an organization, such as an HR executive or CEO. Scammers use the compromised or fake email address to deceive employees, customers, or partners into transferring funds, sharing sensitive information, or completing other fraudulent actions.
Always verify requests for sensitive actions, especially if they’re unexpected or urgent demands.
Spear Phishing:
These are targeted phishing attacks in which cybercriminals personalize their fraudulent emails to a specific individual or organization, increasing the likelihood of success. These emails appear to be from a known and trusted source, such as a colleague, superior, or business partner.
Again, always verify the authenticity of any unexpected or unusual requests, especially via email. Also, be mindful of the information you share online. Cybercriminals often gather personal details from social media to craft convincing spear-phishing emails.
Software-Specific Attacks:
Hackers seek to identify and penetrate security vulnerabilities in specific HR applications to capture data in bulk behind the scenes.
Ensure your technology providers have security protocols in place, such as:
- Data Encryption
- Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
- Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
- Audit Logs
- Secure APIs
- Regular Security Updates
- Phishing Protections
- Automated Applicant Verification
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP)
By prioritizing data security and encouraging a culture of verification, HR departments can mitigate risks of data breaches and uphold trust with employees and candidates.
