NatWest Group takes shadow IT seriously and has blocked employees from using WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Skype for business communications.
The BBC has reported that NatWest Group has blocked messaging services WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and Skype on company devices in the UK to stop staff using them to communicate with each other. While the company had previously stated that staff should only use official communications channels to discuss business, it has now gone one step further and removed access to the apps on corporate devices, which implies there was still a high level of staff misuse of such “shadow IT” to share sensitive data.
Financial institutions face $2.8bn in fines
This is in direct response to the growing pressure from industry regulators to stamp out the use of unsanctioned channels, where banks in the US have been handed fines worth more than $2.8bn (£2.2bn) during the past few years over record-keeping rules – where workers’ historical messages could not be retrieved from some messaging services. Our previous blog More banks fined total of $81million for record keeping contraventions gives more detail.
Concerns over the use of unofficial communications channels in public life have been growing with calls for UK MPs and civil servants to stop using consumer apps for very similar reasons, in that there is no oversight of business nor official discussions. The topic of MPs mysteriously (and conveniently) ‘losing’ messages is discussed in our blog: More instances of Ministers’ disappearing messages!
WhatsApp makes it easier to defraud citizens
The use of consumer apps such as WhatsApp has seeped into business, meaning that boundaries have become blurred. People are now unsurprised to be contacted for ‘work purposes’ via a consumer app; however, this practice makes it much easier for criminals to defraud people. Scams where victims are defrauded out of thousands of pounds are receiving increased media coverage on consumer interest programmes. For example, a recently introduced feature of WhatsApp that allows screen sharing is now being used by criminals to manipulate people into moving cash from one account to another, resulting in their money being stolen. The BBC has covered the story across a range of media channels: ‘WhatsApp screen sharing scam lost me £20,000’
Business communications culture needs to shift
In short, business culture needs to change. Important business contacts and customers should not be contacted via unmanaged and untrusted consumer chat apps. Using such casual methods of communication fosters a lax approach to security. And while their use might be convenient, they are certainly not safe or secure, as these recent stories clearly demonstrate.
Organisations do not need to use unmanaged, ungovernable communications channels, as there are alternatives that provide enterprise features and suitable security for handling business conversations.
Enterprise communication platforms that authenticate users are hard to spoof
Such apps, like Armour Mobile, which uses identity-based encryption, enable people to be confident that they are communicating with who they think they are communicating with. This stops imposters, scammers and criminals from spoofing their way into business conversations.
The rise of AI and deepfakes is another trend that is increasing rapidly which is being exacerbated by mass-adoption messaging and collaboration apps that have very little in the way of user authentication and security.
Our on-demand webinar shows examples of just how convincing these deepfakes can be, and gives some advice as to what organisations can do to mitigate the threat: LINK to Webinar
To read more about what you should be looking for in a Secure Communications Platform read our buyer’s guide: https://www.armourcomms.com/2023/06/29/securing-communications-channels-a-buyers-guide/
