China is currently one of the biggest consumer markets in the world with its ever-expanding middle class possessing a significant spending power. The country holds about nearly a quarter of the global GDP, making it an attractive nation for multiple firms worldwide.
The business landscape in China is unique in that a large number of people and companies use WeChat to transact and conduct business. About one-third of all Chinese mobile data traffic, for personal and business purposes, goes through WeChat. Any company that wants to target the Chinese market need to use WeChat, which currently serves as the most important digital platform in the country.
WeChat is currently one of China’s leading mobile messaging solutions since it is also used for social media, banking, eCommerce, business, and others. Foreign companies need to use the app to do business in China, and they must keep in mind to safeguard their enterprise when using WeChat.
The Digital Risks of WeChat
Firms using WeChat won’t be able to monitor employee communications when using the application by itself effectively. WeChat is a black box like other cloud channels, which makes it difficult to maintain adequate WeChat security.
The lack of visibility with WeChat content opens up several risks that can hamper company operations and lead to data breaches.
The following are the digital risks that companies can face when using WeChat.
External Threats
WeChat scams typically start with ransomware attacks coming in the form of malicious links and attachments. Many employees might fall victim to phishing attacks when using WeChat, especially when efficient WeChat monitoring isn’t achieved.
Companies won’t be able to take specific steps to protect themselves from different cyber-attacks, especially since many WeChat scammers see western companies as among the most vulnerable users of the messaging app.
Insider Threats
Because companies won’t be able to monitor employee communications held in WeChat, there will always be a risk of insider threats occurring. Every year, billions of private records across different industries are breached, and insiders compromise about 90% of them. Insider threats can either be malicious or accidental, and both are equally harmful to a company.
Most WeChat users have no idea what occurs to their WeChat data, making it untenable to prevent data leaks. Because most companies haven’t adopted special monitoring tools to check on a company’s data, they won’t be able to effectively address any issues with employee communications and prevent fraud and data breaches.
Compliance Risks
All information sent through WeChat is likely open to government access, even if the users are not Chinese and are located abroad. Companies that can’t monitor employee communications held in WeChat are at risk of violating China’s censorship laws and other relevant regulations.
Investing in robust WeChat archiving solutions allows companies to mitigate compliance risks and follow various regulatory requirements for WeChat like FINRA and SEC. When employee communications can be reviewed at a later time, firms can minimize any compliance and cybersecurity risks and ensure that their personnel can keep themselves secure from any data risks.
The Right Tools for WeChat Security
Firms must prioritize minimizing the digital risks associated when using mobile messaging solutions like WeChat to connect with clients and potential customers who use the app, whether in China or not. Even if businesses prioritize adapting to meet their customers’ preferences in communicating, they must not forget to maintain their data security.
WeChat has multiple risks, and businesses must make sure they can protect themselves from them. Not adopting the messaging application due to fears on noncompliance and cybersecurity is a mistake that can keep firms from being competitive in their respective industries. Investing in adequate monitoring solutions to mitigate risks is better than avoiding the issues altogether.
The TeleMessage WeChat Archiver records WeChat messages from corporate or BYOD mobile phones to comply with various data protection regulations and mitigate risks with China’s censorship laws. The communication records are securely retained within TeleMessage servers or forwarded to the firm’s choice archiving data storage vendor.
Our mobile archiving products securely record various mobile content from different device ownership models, including BYOD, CYOD, and employer-issued ones. With our multiple archiving solutions, you can find the right tools for your requirements:
TeleMessage offers cross-carrier and international mobile text & calls archiving for corporate and BYOD phones. Visit our website at www.telemessage.com to learn more about our mobile archiving products.
