Executives and executive assistants have privileged access to confidential data and significant decision-making power in their organisations. That makes them attractive targets for cybercriminals.
For this reason, cybersecurity teams are usually very worried about how to keep these users safe online. And as web-based threats like phishing and ransomware dominate the headlines and the boardroom agenda, executives are increasingly keen to secure themselves as well. Nobody wants to be the one caught out.
Usually, you might offer extra training. But when you’re talking about the most senior people in your organisation, that time commitment comes at a hefty price – and you’re still relying on the human element. Attacks are more convincing than ever, and there’s no guarantee they’ll stick to what they’ve learned when faced with the pressure of fast-paced executive work. Executives know this too – and often, they’ll want the reassurance of a safety net.
So, how do you give executives and executive assistants the security tools they demand – without getting in the way of their valuable work and their user experience?
Why is protecting executives and their assistants so important?
We all know the damage a phishing attack can do to a business. But that damage is multiplied when it’s a senior executive or assistant who clicks on a phishing link.
Their seniority gives them access to valuable, sensitive information. And their positions in the business mean their email addresses can be used to commit business email compromise attacks. This type of threat is on the rise with businesses around the world losing an average of $50,027 for each attack.
Why is it so difficult to do?
While many executives are taking cyber crime seriously and becoming skilled at detecting and avoiding web-based threats, there is always a risk. Ultimately, as knowledge workers with an often-broad remit, executives and their assistants must access the web to look up information – and this will always make them vulnerable.
And while your organisation may choose to block web access to some employees, this can be a difficult discussion to have with senior leadership. Security teams can be understandably hesitant to do anything that affects their senior users’ experiences.
But what if there was a way that you could empower executives to stay safe online while maintaining a quality user experience?
Get the best of both worlds with Web Isolation
Web Isolation technologies can protect executives and their assistants – without compromising their web access or browsing experience.
Web Isolation solutions use different technologies to strip malicious code from websites and mitigate the risk of web-based threats. While many of these solutions used to deliver a less-than-stellar user experience in exchange for more secure browsing, modern solutions that use dedicated hardware can balance security and usability. And they can work almost automatically, so you don’t put additional workloads on IT and security teams.
If an executive or their assistant clicks on a link outside your list of allowed domains, you can put a link on an interstitial page that allows them to visit the page through a safe, isolated web environment.
That way you get the best of both worlds: less risk to executives and their assistants, and no need to compromise their productivity or user experience by blocking web access. Plus, it means you don’t need to put yourself in the crossfire when you have to explain to senior staff members why they aren’t allowed to visit certain websites.
Make the right choices for your people
Web Isolation solutions can protect all kinds of users from the worst of web-based attacks. But they’re especially valuable for protecting those with privileged data and access, like your most senior executives and their assistants.
Web Isolation can make it easy to keep executives secure online, but only if you make the right decisions about the tools you offer them.
Making an informed choice requires a thorough understanding of what types of web isolation are available. That’s why we created a buyer’s guide to different Web Isolation technologies that can show you the pros and cons of the major approaches to Web Isolation.