The Independent Automotive Aftermarket Federation (IAAF) welcomed Iain O’Brien to promote cybercrime awareness and its growing threat a recent Network Meeting held at Ring Automotive.

The Triple World Associates LLP speaker demonstrated a wide range of threats, from telephone fraud to the growing threat of ransomware where users seize control of a company’s key data and then request a fee for the decryption code. Iain O’Brien stressed the importance of preparation, encouraging companies to manage the potential threat of cybercrime at senior management level by training, briefing and practicing the danger with employees.

With cybercrime increasingly recognised as the most popular form of crime, O’Brien warns the independent aftermarket to protect personal data where possible as it is a commodity and is also urging the industry to also be aware of social engineering as fraudsters are capable of cloning an individual’s cyber profile after gathering online and social media information.

Vishing, a type of cybercrime where a telephone fraudster calls imitating an individual’s personal bank security team, is also on the rise. In this instance, O’Brien is calling on the aftermarket to think twice when revealing secure information and encourages the trade not to panic and to take the time to check with the bank by calling the official branch number before proceeding.

Attendees at the meeting also saw a presentation from Ring Automotive discussing the supplier’s commitment to development and innovation.