It’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and we want you to know these 5 ways to improve your Cybersecurity. Cybersecurity should be a priority for every business because an unmitigated attack can cost your business valuable time and money. Think it won’t happen to you? Think again. Businesses will be hit every 11 seconds by ransomware by 2021, according to Cybersecurity Ventures. Luckily there are steps you can take to strengthen your defenses, and we’re here to help.
#1 Require Strong Passwords
No doubt you’ve heard this advice before. While it’s simple advice, it really is one of the most important things you can do to protect your organization. Your passwords are the first line of defense against would-be attackers, yet many organizations overlook lax password practices. Just like you’re good at what you do, hackers are great at their jobs. They have a lot of knowledge and tools at their disposal to gain access to your network by exploiting weak passwords. Check out our guide to creating strong passwords and make sure your employees follow our advice.
Whenever possible, you should enable multi-factor authentication. 2-step verification is easy to set up and provides an extra layer of protection. In the event that a password is compromised, there would still be an additional hurdle to jump in order to gain access to your data. Many websites and applications allow you require 2-step verification when logging in. At the very least, utilize it in applications that contain sensitive information.
#2 Perform Regular Updates
Your operating systems and programs are constantly making updates to fix gaps in security, and address the latest cyber threats. It may be inconvenient at times, but you should never ignore a prompt to perform an update. Even if the update doesn’t enhance your security, it will likely improve compatibility with your other applications and hardware.
#3 Create Cybersecurity Awareness
It’s up to you to create a culture of Cybersecurity at the office. Employees who don’t know potential risks and how to avoid them can leave your business vulnerable. Hackers rely on there being a weak link in your office, and usually it’s a person falling for a carefully engineered attack. Providing cybersecurity training to your employees is a great way to make sure everyone is on the same page about threats and their role in protecting the organization. We have also compiled this detailed guide to ensuring cybersecurity in the workplace to help you with this initiative.
#4 Don’t Forget the Backup
Your business should be creating regular backups and testing them frequently. Store backups offsite and offline and make sure you’re protecting your data in the cloud. According to the 2020 Sophos State of Ransomware report, 56% of organizations whose data was encrypted were able to restore it via backups, rather than paying a ransom. Having reliable backups will considerably lower the cost and downtime associated with a cyber attack.
#5 Get a Good Endpoint Security Solution
Endpoint Security involves securing all points of entry to your network, including end-user devices. A good Endpoint Security Solution is much more than traditional antivirus, it will provide comprehensive network security to stop even the most sophisticated attacks. Hackers constantly evolve their strategies, so having a solution that keeps up with their efforts is a must. We recommend InterceptX from Sophos, which utilizes a combination of deep learning malware detection, exploit prevention, anti-ransomware, and more to protect your network from a wide range of attacks.
These 5 tips are a great place to start. When it comes to Cybersecurity, it’s best to work on the assumption that your business will be affected by a cyber attack at some point. With strategic protections in place, it doesn’t have to be a disaster. Our Managed IT Services experts can help your business fortify your network and implement a plan. With our free network analysis we can provide insight into your network security and any potential weak spots.
