With the estimated average cost of a security breach tipping the scale at $3.62 million, according to the IBM Cost of Data Breach Study, protecting your business’ security needs has never been more important. October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month, and this is the perfect opportunity to reflect on the security procedures and strategies your business has in place to protect against these cyber attacks and threats.
Lead by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security; National Cyber Security Awareness Month encourages business as well as consumers to become more aware of possible security threats and have a plan in place to thwart these attacks. With a cybersecurity strategy, businesses are able to ensure their employees and customers are protected as well as their confidential and sensitive information.
Evaluate Your Vulnerability
Start your business’ cybersecurity strategy with a review of your security systems. Identify the areas where you are vulnerable to attacks and take measures to upgrade these technologies to ensure stronger protocols and security measures are put in place. Allow your IT department to upgrade software and perform regular maintenance of network systems to ensure security compliance. This is crucial to keeping confidential and personal information safe from attacks and should be performed regularly.
Take Advantage Of The Cloud
The data that your business uses on a continuous basis should be backed up to the cloud as a form of redundancy. This will protect your business should your data be held hostage by a cyber attacker looking to receive payment for releasing your data. Back up all your company information on a daily basis in multiple locations, so you are not at the mercy of ransomware and forced to pay hacker groups in order to continue operations at your business.
Educate Your Employees
Your employees are an integral part of keeping your business safe from cyber attacks. Whether intentional or not, employees need to be educated on the common schemes of hackers and be vigilant at all times when working with sensitive data. Password strength is a key part of ensuring that your employees keep your company information safe and changing these passwords on a monthly basis allows for an additional precaution against cyber threats. Provide training for employees on creating strong passwords and make them accountable for adhering to the policies your company has in place regarding digital security.
Secure All Information Channels
In today’s world, mobile devices are the main source of communication for business professionals. These devices are also prone to attacks of malware. Developing a strategy that protects information on these platforms will give your business another level of protection against security threats. Limit the type of information that can be shared and accessed on these devices or provide a secure VPN that allows for controlled access to information through your protected network. Being proactive about security for mobile devices can prevent an unwanted threat from occurring that could compromise your data.
Develop A Policy For When A Cyberattack Occurs
Inform your employees on how to respond when they detect suspicious activity that could be a cyber threat to prevent unauthorized access to your company data. Whether it is a malware attempt or phishing email, your staff should know the procedures to follow to get the help they need when these threats occur. Have them immediately contact your IT department for assistance and educate them on recognizing emails and files that could contain cyber threats that may compromise the security of your company. This allows everyone to be on the same page when it comes to identifying cyberactivity that could breach data and put your personal business information at risk.
If your business needs assistance in creating a cybersecurity strategy, the team at Resolute Technologies can help. It’s experienced IT representatives have the expertise and knowledge to make sure your company data is secure and that you are not prone to a cyber attack on your business. Contact us today!