ThreatNG Security

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Communication and Marketing

Threat NG Staff

Communication and marketing technologies encompass various software and platforms facilitating interactions with customers, prospects, and internal stakeholders. These tools streamline marketing campaigns, enable personalized communication, and gather valuable customer insights. However, they pose potential cybersecurity risks, especially without proper oversight and security measures.  

Why It's Essential to Know (Sanctioned or Unsanctioned):

  1. Data Security & Privacy: Many communication and marketing tools store sensitive customer information, email addresses, and behavioral data. Unauthorized or unsanctioned use of these tools can lead to data breaches, identity theft, and financial losses.

  2. Reputation Risk: If unsanctioned tools are used for marketing or communication, it can damage the organization's reputation. For instance, sending out mass emails from an unverified platform can lead to the company's domain being flagged as spam, impacting deliverability and brand image.

  3. Compliance Concerns: Data privacy regulations like GDPR and CCPA have strict requirements for collecting, storing, and using customer data. Unsanctioned tools may not comply with these regulations, exposing the organization to fines and legal repercussions.  

  4. Third-Party Risks: Many marketing and communication platforms are cloud-based or involve integrations with third-party vendors. Using unsanctioned tools can introduce additional risks, as the organization may need more visibility into the vendor's security practices.

  5. Brand Hijacking: If an employee uses an unsanctioned social media tool and accidentally posts sensitive company information or something off-brand, it can harm the company's image and lead to a PR crisis.

External Identifiability:

Many communication and marketing tools leave a digital footprint. Some ways they can be identified externally include:

  • Email Headers: Emails sent from marketing platforms often contain headers that reveal the sending platform.

  • Website Scripts: Marketing automation tools may embed tracking scripts on websites, which can be detected by analyzing the website's source code.

  • Social Media Posts: Company-related posts from unsanctioned social media accounts can be found through searches.

  • DNS Records: Subdomains or specific domain names linked to these tools can be identified in DNS records.

Whether these tools are on-premise or cloud-based impacts the attack surface. On-premise tools might be less exposed to external threats, while cloud-based tools could be more vulnerable to hacking or unauthorized access.

Specific Types and Vendors (with Cybersecurity Considerations):

  • Email Marketing:

    • ActiveCampaign, CampaignMonitor, Constant Contact, Klaviyo: Data breaches could expose customer email lists and personal information. Ensure robust security practices and compliance with data privacy regulations.

  • Marketing Automation:

    • ActiveCampaign, AutopilotHQ, GetResponse, HubSpot, Marketo: Misconfigurations or unauthorized access could lead to data leakage and misuse of sensitive customer information. Implement strict access controls and regular security audits.

  • Social Media Contests:

    • Wishpond: Ensure the platform used for social media contests has adequate security measures to protect user data and prevent fraud.

  • Conversational Marketing:

    • Drift: While enabling real-time customer interactions, protecting customer data collected through chatbots and ensuring compliance with privacy regulations is essential.

  • Email API:

    • Mailgun, Mailjet, SendGrid, SparkPost: Ensure APIs are adequately secured and monitored to prevent unauthorized access and potential email spoofing or spam.

  • Customer Communication:

    • Intercom: Implement strong access controls to prevent unauthorized access to customer conversations and data.

  • Customer Data Platform (CDP):

    • Segment: This platform collects vast amounts of customer data. Robust security measures are essential to protect this data from breaches and ensure compliance with privacy regulations.

  • Customer Feedback:

    • Canny.io, UserVoice: Ensure customer feedback platforms are secure to prevent unauthorized access or manipulation of feedback data.

Key Takeaways:

  • Organizations must maintain a comprehensive inventory of all communication and marketing tools, both sanctioned and unsanctioned.

  • Regular security audits and assessments are essential to identify and mitigate risks.

  • Implement robust access controls, encryption, and data loss prevention measures to protect sensitive customer data.

  • Educate employees about the risks of using unsanctioned tools and the importance of adhering to company security policies.

Organizations can leverage their benefits by proactively managing communication and marketing technologies while minimizing the associated cybersecurity risks.

ThreatNG: Safeguarding Communication & Marketing Channels from External Risks

ThreatNG offers comprehensive protection for an organization's communication and marketing infrastructure by identifying and mitigating risks associated with these technologies. It leverages its EASM, DRP, and security ratings capabilities to:

  1. Uncover Shadow IT: ThreatNG can identify the use of unsanctioned email marketing, marketing automation, or social media tools within the organization, its third parties, or its supply chain. It helps organizations maintain control over their brand image and message consistency.

  2. Detect Phishing and Social Engineering Campaigns: ThreatNG can identify phishing emails, fake social media accounts, or malicious websites impersonating the organization or its brand. This proactive detection helps prevent potential attacks that could lead to data breaches, financial loss, or reputational damage.

  3. Monitor Data Leaks and Breaches: ThreatNG continuously scans the dark web for any leaked credentials or sensitive information related to the organization's communication and marketing platforms. Early detection allows for immediate response and damage control.

  4. Assess Third-Party Risks: ThreatNG analyzes third-party vendors' security posture for email marketing, marketing automation, or customer communication. This helps organizations ensure that their partners adhere to security best practices and do not pose a risk to the organization's data.

Working with Complementary Solutions:

ThreatNG integrates seamlessly with existing security solutions to provide comprehensive protection:

  • Security Information and Event Management (SIEM): ThreatNG's findings can be ingested into SIEM systems to enrich security alerts with external threat intelligence, providing a more holistic view of potential threats.

  • Email Security Gateways (ESGs): ThreatNG's identification of phishing emails or malicious domains can block these threats at the gateway, preventing them from reaching employees' inboxes.

  • Data Loss Prevention (DLP) Solutions: ThreatNG's detection of data leaks can trigger DLP actions to prevent further data exfiltration.

Example Workflow:

  1. ThreatNG Discovery: ThreatNG identifies a phishing email campaign impersonating the organization and targeting customers.

  2. ESG Integration: ThreatNG sends information about the phishing domain and email content to the organization's ESG.

  3. SIEM Alert: The SIEM receives an alert from the ESG, triggering an incident response workflow.

  4. Remediation: The security team investigates the phishing campaign, blocks the malicious domain, and notifies affected customers.

Overall Benefits:

ThreatNG offers several benefits for organizations seeking to protect their communication and marketing channels:

  • Reduced Risk of Data Breaches: By identifying and mitigating risks in communication and marketing technologies, organizations can reduce their exposure to data breaches and other cyber threats.

  • Enhanced Brand Protection: ThreatNG helps protect the organization's brand reputation by identifying and addressing impersonation attempts and phishing campaigns.

  • Improved Security Posture: By integrating with existing security solutions, ThreatNG enhances the organization's overall security posture, enabling proactive threat detection and response.

  • Streamlined Incident Response: ThreatNG's actionable insights enable security teams to respond quickly and effectively to security incidents.

  • Cost Savings: ThreatNG can help organizations avoid costly financial losses and reputational damage by preventing cyber-attacks and data breaches.

ThreatNG is a valuable asset for any organization that relies on communication and marketing technologies to connect with customers and promote its brand. Its comprehensive capabilities provide the visibility and control necessary to protect these critical channels from external threats.