Telekom Slovenije’s experts highlight the dangers of digital footprints we are leaving online

The experts from Telekom Slovenije, which provides a comprehensive ecosystem of security services and solutions, point out that in spite of significantly increased security threats the awareness of the danger of leaving our digital footprints online is still too low.

​Security checks of business IT systems most often uncover outdated software without the required updates, equipment lacking security support, open ports on firewalls that provide access to a company’s IT system, and similar shortcomings. Another exceptionally frequent issue is unsuitable password policy and using default passwords, both in private use and in business environments. “It is very often that users log in with the same user information and passwords on various digital platforms, be it social network profiles or websites, online stores, e-banking or anything else. And once a database of any of these platforms is breached and the data stolen, we are just a step from disaster,” explains Rok Peršak, the head of Telekom Slovenije’s Cyber Security Operations Centre, which was founded five years ago and is among the most state-of-the-art such centres in the region.

“With accelerated digitalisation, the growing popularity of remote work and changing global conditions following the pandemic and the war in Ukraine, security risks have been growing. Nobody is safe from cyberattacks, and therefore it is essential that all of us, individuals, businesses and organizations, make sure that the doors to our digital world are properly protected. At Telekom Slovenije we put a lot of focus on ensuring our own security and that of our users, and are developing cutting-edge security solutions. In order to ensure comprehensive cyber resilience, we will focus on continued preventive activities for deterring cyberattacks, automation with a suitable level of artificial intelligence, growing competencies and continually building our team of experts and the optimising processes and tools for effectively detecting, limiting and quickly responding to attacks. We are also focusing on security when developing apps, Internet of Things solutions, cloud services and container technologies,” emphasised Vesna Prodnik, Management Board member of Telekom Slovenije for technology.

“Ensuring comprehensive cyber resilience is based on active collaboration of experts, the technology used and the processes in place. Activities are divided into five steps: preparation, prevention, detection, response and restore. With growing threats and the rising number of activities launched by attackers, the response and resilience must also be strengthened. Over the past five years our system for defending from attacks has become much more complex, internationally certified and tailored to every customer, with detailed monitoring of the effects of protection. We put a lot of focus on prevention, education, awareness raising and the “human factor”, which is essential for cybersecurity. The saying that a system is only as strong as its weakest link holds true, and in this security chain, the human factor is the weakest link,” said Janez Anžič, the director of Telekom Slovenije’s Cyber Security Operations Centre.

Security experts emphasise the importance of our digital footprint
Digital footprints are tracks that we leave behind during our online activities, both actively and passively in the form of data and information. Online services that collect various data for their operation, may be targets of attacks or abuse and therefore we must be aware of online dangers. Attackers may use any vulnerability or ignorance, as careless users are often the subject of identity theft, inadvertently providing unauthorised access to information systems, email, personal data, trade secrets and other sensitive data to attackers. “Consequently, preventive activities are especially important, before an actual attack even occurs. Preventive activities include vulnerability scans, penetration tests, employee training on handling data and passwords, and the general care for the digital footprint,” emphasised Dalibor Vukovič, Telekom Slovenije’s expert on cybersecurity and an ethical hacker.

The importance of international collaboration for ensuring security
Risks in cybersecurity are exacerbated by changes in global conditions, and as a result Telekom Slovenije’s experts, aided by cutting-edge technology, are monitoring security incidents 24/7/365, and analysing and assessing the information on potential threats they receive from various sources. At the global level they collaborate with different organisations and adopt additional measures for increasing security of their own services, as well as the services they provide to their customers, while their cyber response team at full alert. “All of our activities are focused on ensuring the highest level of security, reliability and privacy,” emphasised Rok Peršak.

Advantages of the zero-trust security model
Our adoption of the zero-trust security model has further improved cybersecurity. “This type of model verifies every request for data access as if it originated from the open network, meaning a potentially risky environment. Zero trust teaches us never to trust and to always verify every request, regardless of where it originates or the resource it accesses. If a company utilises the zero-trust security model, it will be able to detect threats sooner. This will also be the basis for a better response, regardless of whether the threats are the result of unauthorised access, malicious communication or outdated software. The zero-trust security model can also help prevent privacy violations and provides better monitoring of data streams,” explains Vukovič.

The most frequent types of cyberattacks
In 2022 the most frequent cyberattacks were targeting individuals, businesses and organizations with malware (worms, trojans, etc.) and ransomware that attackers most often delivered to the victim through phishing attacks or software vulnerabilities. Email breaches and so-called executive phishing email attacks also remain a very popular method for hackers to reroute payments to their accounts, along with DDoS (Distributed Denial-of-Service) attacks and network scanning for security vulnerabilities. The focus on supply-chain-related security risks has also been growing.

What can every person do to improve their own cyber protection?
• Think twice before visiting websites with questionable content and security. These are often websites with promises of attractive promotions that are hard to resist; however, these are mostly frauds for collecting data on your payment cards and passwords.
• When shopping online, make sure to only enter your personal data on websites you completely trust. Be especially careful when entering payment card data.
• Use different passwords for different websites and services, and make sure that they are at least 12 characters long, and preferably 16. Make sure to securely store your passwords. Password managers are recommended. Use multi-factor authentication (MFA), where services support it.
• Email is a very popular “pond”, where hackers are looking for victims with so-called phishing email attacks. Be very mindful about who the sender is and their email address. Do not click on links in emails (they could be hidden in graphics) from unknown senders and do not open any attachments, and especially do not send them any personal data, passwords or payment card numbers, as legitimate service providers never ask for your data by email.
• Activate secure website checks on your mobile phone, computer or other devices that you use to access the internet, using a service such as Varen splet (Secure Net) or Varen poslovni splet (Secure Business Net), as they significantly reduce the danger of your devices (computer, mobile phone, IoT devices ...) being hacked.