The threat on the end of the phone: the danger of contact centre agents

Abstract

The rise of the ‘insider’ data security threat has been well-documented. Cases such as Snapchat, where its CEO fell victim to a whaling attack, exposing sensitive employee information, and Sage, where a staff member actively stole banking and salary details for personal gain, have flagged up the variety of dangers. 1, 2 No matter what the source, the result is a costly and reputation-damaging data breach that may well have a negative impact on the business for years to come. The rise of the ‘insider’ data security threat has been well-documented. But one, often overlooked, insider threat is that of the contact centre. The employees on the end of the line to customers can be one of the company's biggest assets. However, many have access to sensitive customer details, which means they can also represent a significant security vulnerability. Tim Critchley of Semafone explains how information security teams must ensure that their policies and technical solutions are up to the job of fending off internal threats.