SECURITY
VISUAL HACKING: THE FORGOTTEN RISK Peter Hartley, IT Channel Manager, 3M Privacy addresses the need for greater
care in workplaces, to ensure that sensitive or important information is not left visible on screens or desks when working, both in and away from the office.
Most organisations are today very aware of both information security and physical security risks. From software tools such as firewalls, anti-virus, vulnerability and privilege management systems through to rigorous entry systems, perimeter protection and even security guards, many organisations in the UK could understandably believe that they are well equipped to fend off the ‘bad guys’.
However, there is one aspect of security that has until now largely slipped through the net - but is now receiving more attention. Commonly referred to as ‘visual hacking’ or ‘shoulder surfing’, this is the ability for someone to view confidential information on somebody else’s screen – whether this is a desktop
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monitor, laptop, tablet or smartphone – and then using that information for malicious or illegal intent.
Consequently, an increasing number of organisations are now taking the topic of ‘visual privacy’ far more seriously. For instance, in the public sector, several departments have either raised concerns about visual privacy, or in some cases, actually mandated visual privacy measures as part of their security strategies. Departments leading the way include the Cabinet Office, the Department of Work and Pensions and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
In the commercial sector, visual privacy is often included as part of an organisation’s efforts to
demonstrate ISO27001 compliance. Financial services is one market sector where awareness – and steps to mitigate the risk – of visual hacking is most common.
So are these organisations right to be so concerned? It’s very hard to put numbers against the size of the potential visual hacking problem, largely because most incidents are not reported and so most evidence of its existence has, until recently, been mainly anecdotal.
ALARMING RESULTS However, last year, a study carried
out in the US gave some perspective on just how simple and fast visual hacking is to achieve. Commissioned
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