Top 5 Cybersecurity challenges Digital Marketers Face

In this ever-growing digital world, every sector is faced with numerous challenges. None more so than the risk and frequency of cyber attacks. As such, assaults continue to become an everyday threat. The risks stemming from cyber attacks affect companies and their customers alike.

As businesses become more aware of the benefits of digital world exposure, they take advantage of it to remain competitive. The risk grows even greater. Cyber attacks present a problem in a world overdependent on internet connectivity. These attacks include identity theft, phishing attacks, malware, and other risks.

The impacts of such attacks can have negative effects on business growth, profit, and customer confidence. Businesses must understand the risks and security vulnerabilities. Unscrupulous people and groups scour the internet to exploit these vulnerabilities to steal or misuse personal and confidential information.

For digital marketers, the cybersecurity threat is an all-too-present problem that can impact all of their activities. As the value and volume of data continue to grow, digital marketers face more sophisticated digital assaults. These assaults lead to vulnerable touchpoints that can be exploited.

The view from below the line

Brand activation companies operate in both online and offline arenas. This dual approach allows them a bird’s-eye view of current marketing realities. They can observe various industries and locations. On one hand, they can be setting up a campaign to engage customers through point of sale (POS) systems. On the other hand, they are developing a social media app. This is part of a unified digital marketing campaign.

Such a perspective allows them to clearly see the value of protecting business data. They understand that everyone is subject to security vulnerabilities and exploitation. Any vulnerabilities will have a wildfire effect. They will impact connected environments and result in large sums of money being lost. Worst of all, consumer trust is diminished or lost. Indeed, cybersecurity must be embedded into all applications, not simply restricted to securing network perimeters.

Brand activators know from working across multiple channels. When you show your market that all the platforms are secure, you can gain their trust. This puts you in a better position to earn their loyalty. Simply put, good cybersecurity is good marketing.

Marketers work in environments that deal with sensitive information, such as customer or user data and confidential information. Such risks and threats must be understood. They must be addressed and overcome.

Areas of interest

The following areas are ideal places in which cybersecurity challenges pose a definitive threat and vulnerabilities can be exploited.

1. Content marketing

When digital marketing teams develop a strategic approach for their content, few consider the potential security breaches. This oversight occurs with such content. But as the purpose of content marketing is to attract and retain a specific audience, examining all touchpoints is crucial. Addressing security vulnerabilities is also key to limiting the inherent vulnerability of an omnichannel digital landscape.

Content marketing does more than just deliver valuable and relevant content. Content marketing is a key aspect of any digital strategy to build consumer trust and showcase authority. It’s a strategic marketing approach that nearly 90 percent of companies employ.

As such, content marketing is vulnerable to cybersecurity challenges, predominantly through the content management system (CMS). Businesses, big and small, all employ the services of a CMS. It allows businesses the ability to rapidly deploy dynamic content, from blog posts to visual assets.

But whatever CMS you employ, whether it’s WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, etc. It will be prone to attacks from malicious actors. They look to access your customer database and confidential information. Distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) and similar attacks can compromise critical infrastructure systems. This can result in a data breach. It also lead to data exposure.

While CMS packages regularly update their software, digital marketers must uphold best practice principles when utilizing CMS platforms. Administrators moderate the creation of user accounts. They ensure that all server operating systems and software packages are patched and up-to-date. They access CMS only from secure networks. They also enforce a strong user password policy.

2. Email marketing

The threat of phishing scams is nothing new. Email marketing remains prevalent, so the risk of phishing attacks does too. In fact, as businesses transition into the digital landscape, phishing scams evolve and become more sophisticated. Many target small businesses unaware of the security risks of phishing attacks.

In terms of email marketing, when it comes to security vulnerabilities, customers are the weakest link. Threat actors continuously find ways to exploit vulnerabilities, and the path of least resistance can often be found through consumers. After all, it only takes one click on a hyperlink or attachment to open the floodgates to a phishing attack.

So how can digital marketers avoid becoming victims of email hijacking, resulting in a phishing attack?

• Ensure your ISP and servers are patched and up-to-date.
• Employ additional software to monitor and provide security for all your email marketing needs. Such tools will ensure the emails you send out to desired audiences are encrypted. This process will help reduce the risk of a phishing attack.

3. Social media marketing

The advent of social networks has changed the definition of communication and social interactions. Companies have changed their approach to social media. This shift has enabled platforms like Facebook and Instagram to become digital storefronts. On these platforms, engagement, acquisition, and conversion are encouraged. This creates potential vulnerabilities that have been and continue to be exploited.

Identity theft is the main risk factor and threat when it comes to social media marketing. Social media gives us a lot of advantages. We can connect with friends, family, and co-workers. Despite these benefits, it can be used as a platform for unauthorized downloads. Weak passwords can also be exploited. Sharing of confidential information is another risk. For digital marketing teams, precautions that must be followed include:

• Enforce a strong user password policy.
• Monitoring all social media activity.
• Implementing strict privacy settings.

The inherent social sharing aspect found across all social media channels presents challenges. It makes it difficult for any business to completely safeguard itself against security challenges. But with that said, fostering a security-aware culture ensures businesses are mindful of such security risks. Digital marketers must be educated and informed of the potential security risks inherent in the use of any social platform.

4. Customer relationship management

CRM stands for customer relationship management. It is a core part of any business. It is also a business-critical application that stores vital business information. The information they store, along with the processes they manage, makes them a high-risk factor for cyber attacks. Malicious actors aim to identify and acquire customer data. They will attempt to exploit any vulnerabilities in a system.

Many companies today use similar CRM systems to manage their customer databases. This includes systems such as SAP, Oracle, and web-based software such as Salesforce. These systems deploy regular software updates and patches to curtail the risk of cyber attacks. However, compromises still occur.

Malicious actors have been known to employ security attacks, including DDoS, data breaches, identity theft, and malware.

A CRM system is a multi-channel platform. Various departments, such as supply chain, sales, and digital marketing, utilize it. This often leads to a responsibility gap. This responsibility gap creates a false sense of security, increasing the system’s exposure to cyber attacks.

Proactive management in all departments reduces the risk of a compromised weak link. This is especially true in a connected environment like a CRM system. Ways to limit the risk of data threats include the following:

• Firewalls
• Security software
• The use of virtual private networks (VPNs)
• A strong password policy

All together, these precautionary measures can head off any potential vulnerabilities present in such a connected environment.

5. E-Commerce

The high risk and potential vulnerability in e-commerce and m-commerce continue to challenge digital marketers. Such concerns limit conversion opportunities and digital growth.

Security flaws and online financial fraud are the primary sources of fear among consumers. They are also the two barriers to entry. These factors limit the effectiveness of any digital marketing strategy. Customer acquisition, retention, and growth are the backbone of any marketing strategy. Therefore, a multiple security strategy approach is necessary. It helps assuage any fears surrounding the transactional process of any online business.

The use of SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) protocols and a two-factor authentication process are two ways to dispel such fear. A multiple security strategy approach does not guarantee a secure transactional system. However, such processes are fundamental in providing robust application security.

Among digital marketers, education is key to addressing such cybersecurity challenges. As data is shared and parceled across various systems, platforms, and connected environments, cybersecurity conversations remain paramount. The risks stemming from cyber attacks harm the reputation of a company. They threaten the trust that has been meticulously built throughout its years in business.

Much like a digital marketing campaign, addressing strategies to protect a system requires a lot of planning. Employing these strategies against security vulnerabilities and cyber attacks requires time and effort. Departments, business-wide, must align to safeguard the company against the continued risk of cyber attacks and threats.

Aligning departments is instrumental to effectively employ a business-driven security strategy. In doing so, companies become better prepared and engaged to deal with such challenges.

To understand the importance of employing security measures across all digital activities and platforms, consider examples of previous cybersecurity attacks. These include numerous attempts. Each company mentioned had been subjected to cyber attacks.

This not only crippled their critical infrastructure systems. It resulted in mass data exploitation and millions in revenue lost. The incidents also severely tarnished the once-positive perception the public had of each establishment. The damage compromised more than just financial and customer data; it also damaged their reputation as reliable and trustworthy firms.

If you are unsure about your system’s security, now is the time for a thorough assessment. Evaluate your security system and protocols. You need to protect what you have worked so hard to build.

Featured image credits: Pixabay