Cyber Security Challenges in the Music Industry
Exploring the digital dangers in the music world. From phishing to ransomware.

Fifty years ago, the average music lover would never have imagined they could have access to almost every song that has ever been released in a small box called a phone. Today, we can’t imagine life without it. The music industry has gone digital and the world is a better place for it, I think. That said, the digital world comes with its issues

We’ve gone from physical bullying to cyberbullying. Physical attacks are no longer the only worry, cyber warfare is just as big. Cybercrime is one of the most lucrative sectors. The music industry is exempted from the problem.

In this article, I’ll talk about cybercrime in the music industry. What are the challenges? How does it happen? How can we fight it? Join me as I find the answers.

Cyber Threats

First things first, what are the big cyber threats? What are some popular ways that criminals can ambush you?

Phishing

In 2016, employees of the Bangladesh Bank received an email from a guy on the hunt for a job at the bank. He attached his CV to the email in case they needed to see his qualifications. No one knows how many of them opened the email and clicked on it. All it took was one person. As soon as they clicked the link, a virus was installed on the computer. In the end, the hackers attempted to steal over $950 million.

Phishing happens when a virus or other harmful file is disguised as a harmless email or link for you to click. As soon as you do, a backdoor into your system has opened. So the next time you see a random email from someone you don’t know, pay attention.

Malware

If done successfully, phishing results in one of two types of harmful software. Malware disrupts your system while stealing information and access to restricted sites. If there’s malware on your system, it can access everything you use the computer to access. If you don’t recognize the signs, you might just think the computer is acting up out of the blue.

Ransomware

Malware acts behind the scenes until you recognize it for what it is. Ransomware does not respect you enough to be coy. Think of it as kidnapping in the computer world. It locks up your computer completely and grants you no access until you pay or acquiesce to the demands of your kidnapper. All your files are encrypted and payment is the only way to get the key. Or to hack the hacker if you can manage it.

Holes in the Wall

Now that we know the major ways cybercriminals ambush us, what vulnerabilities are they most likely to target? It’s important to know because you are strong as your weakest link.

Data banks

Think of Spotify. It’s a platform where millions of people go to enjoy music. There’s a saying that goes “You can tell a lot about someone from the music they listen to”. For streaming platforms like Spotify to be as successful as they are at predicting your taste in music, they collect tons of data about you. They have to store this data somewhere, and that’s where the problem arises.

All the hackers must do is target that bank of data. If they can get through the defenses and access that data, it will cause mayhem.

They will have personal data about who you are and where you live. They can explore your musical preferences for insights into your behavior. The most frightening part is they can access credit card information and empty your account.

This is why platforms like Spotify spend a fortune on cybersecurity.

Social engineering

As the name implies, social engineering is the manipulation of human psychology. Hackers use the fundamentals of psychology to understand human behavior so that they can manipulate them into falling for their schemes. Going back to the Bangladesh Bank example, the hackers only sent that email because they knew it would pique the curiosity or humanity of the employees. And it worked a treat, didn’t it?

Personal system

Organized data banks such as Spotify’s database are targets, but they’re also heavily protected, just like bank systems. Personal computers, however, are hardly equipped with such heavy protection. Many people don’t even have up-to-date software on their computers or have disabled their anti-virus software so that they can use cracked versions of paid software. This all exposes your computer to attacks from anywhere.

Defense Strategies

Software care

Take care of your computer. The first step to safeguarding yourself from cyber attacks is paying attention to your computer. Don’t click on random links, don’t go to illegal sites, and avoid things that can open the door to malicious software. Basic computer care should be enough to keep you away from cybercrime. The more valuable or critical your files are, you can then work on upgrading your system security.

Authentication systems

Don’t just allow anyone access to your data. You can add extra layers of protection with several layers of authentication. WhatsApp, among many social media apps, uses two-factor authentication to keep user accounts safe. You can also set up random passwords or OTPs to make it even harder for people to access your systems without permission.

Security awareness

What I’ve just done falls under this. I bet most people have no idea that by clicking on the wrong link they’re exposing themselves to cybercrime. A popular Bible verse says “My people perish for lack of knowledge”. Whether you believe in God or not, you can’t fault the wisdom in that. What you don’t know can ambush you.

Learn as much as you can about the risks in today’s cyber world. The internet is a fun place for people to meet, but crime is everywhere too.

Final Thoughts

Cybersecurity is a big deal. In a world where everything has gone digital, cybercrime is the new menace of our planet. Entire wars can be fought online and governments can be toppled. In the music industry, it’s important to keep safe because you don’t want all your hard work going up in smoke.

This article is not a comprehensive guide, but only serves to wet your appetite. It’s time to stop ignoring cybercrime. It’s not just a fancy things the nerds do. It could be the difference between life and death.

Pay attention.