The Day Everything Stopped: Cybersecurity in Ciudad Juárez Companies

This scenario would begin with an early detection where production was immediately halted. We’ll define this moment as the day everything stopped. The company would be in trouble if this information is sensitive or involves handling personal data about its customers. This hypothetical case seems like the script for a dystopian novel, but day by day it is getting closer to reality and not a fictional case.

Cybersecurity experts warn that no company, regardless of its size or sector, is exempt from risk. They emphasize the importance of adopting proactive measures such as the use of advanced protection systems, ongoing staff education on safe online practices, and the implementation of incident response protocols.

Carlos Zehntner, cybersecurity expert and developer at BeKind Software, stated that such an incident can not only halt operations, impacting not only productivity but also market confidence and the security of customer and employee data.

He asserted that regardless of the company’s size, cybersecurity requires securing data and preventing unauthorized access to this information. When presenting our hypothetical case, the full-stack developer explained that the severity varies depending on the attack. For example, if the attack is not directed at the company but at users and files are encrypted, but the company has backups, the impact may not be as severe. In contrast, if the attack is targeted and involves extortion, it is crucial to have a specific department dedicated to cybersecurity.

He explained that in many cases, it is necessary to file a complaint with the authorities, as a precedent must be established, and in many cases, these departments do work and provide an effective solution. However, he explained that every attack must be anticipated with due care and recommendations. First, each company must be aware of the information it handles and know how it can be compromised, and have at least three backups of each piece of information.

Zehntner said that backups should be kept offline, due to attacks such as ransomware, an increasingly common form of malware that locks users’ files or devices and then demands an anonymous online payment. It’s also helpful to have these backups on external servers, considering how critical and private this data is.

The expert said that cybersecurity can be very costly in terms of maintaining data, so each company must value its information and invest in it according to its needs. He mentioned that cybercriminals often seek to attack companies that have extensive databases that allow them to obtain a financial benefit. Although it may seem trivial, sometimes a user who handles family photographs isn’t as valuable as a company’s administrative or accounting information.

He asserted that this is the case when handling a common cyberattack, but sometimes security hackers focus their skills on code repositories in app development agencies, blueprints for new electronic devices that haven’t been released, and bank accounts.

He recommended that regardless of the company’s size, passwords should be complicated, with a greater number of characters and verifications, since passwords are often so basic that security is easy to circumvent. Avoid using codes like 123, your or a family member’s birthday, or the name of pets. Instead, they should include numbers, special characters, and alternating upper and lower case. In this sense, he pointed out that this is not by chance, but rather that it takes more time and resources to attempt to crack these types of long and complex passwords by brute force than something routine.

He said that all users should practice better internet hygiene practices. This can be achieved by not visiting suspicious sites, not providing personal information in any text box, not accessing unknown links, and ignoring emails requesting information or sending invoices from unknown suppliers. He also said to always verify the sender and ensure it isn’t false or malicious.

He encouraged companies to work closely with cybersecurity experts and government agencies to strengthen their defenses against increasingly complex and persistent threats in an effort to mitigate future attacks.