Staying protected from cyberattacks is challenging. It’s difficult to keep up when one click can cost your business millions of dollars. Ideally, everyone in your organization should be engaged in ongoing cybersecurity training, but in many cases, this is not happening. So, we have compiled a list of several cybersecurity awareness tips that will help you and your business prevent cyber-attacks.
Keep Your Software up to Date
Part of a strong vulnerability management program involves keeping your entire network up to date. Ignoring notifications for software updates can put your system at risk. Install the latest security patches to fix vulnerabilities in your software and operating system.
Think Before you Click
While you might think you’d never click on a link in a sketchy email, phishing attacks are one of the most common ways cybercriminals access private data. Be suspicious of any unknown links in emails and never open unsolicited attachments. You should also make sure your employees have regular security awareness training and access to cybersecurity awareness tips on how to spot and avoid phishing attacks.
Discover how Difenda reduced the number of “risky users” in a company’s network and limited the amount of data loss from malware in just three months. Download our latest case study!
Protect your Personal Information
Social engineering refers to all techniques aimed at tricking people into giving up their personal information. Unless you’re completely sure of whom you’re speaking to, never give out your personal information over the phone or in an email. Think carefully about what you share on social media as well.
Back up Company Data
Back up your company data on external hard drives and cloud-based services on a daily basis. This is one of the best defenses against a ransomware attack. Even if cyber criminals lock your servers, you won’t be forced to pay a ransom to get your files back.
Secure your Mobile Devices
In today’s mobile work environment, it’s common for company data to be stored on employees’ phones. Mobile malware has been on the rise in the last few years. To stay secure, protect your devices with passwords, back up your phone data, and enable endpoint detection measures.
Beware of Internal Threats
Securing your external defenses isn’t enough to protect your company- take precautions to guard yourself against internal threats. Fifty-five percent of all cyber-attacks come from inside the organization, according to security intelligence. Whether these attacks occur inadvertently or due to malicious intent, you need to focus on your employees to protect your company.
Encrypt Data
Encryption is a key element of your cybersecurity strategy. It refers to the process of making your data unreadable to unauthorized individuals so it’s harder for cybercriminals to access your information. Encryption algorithms are difficult to break, making it a highly effective form of cybersecurity.
Engage Incident Responders
You should have an agreement with digital forensics and incident responders who you can turn to when a breach has been detected. Remember it’s not a question of it, but when. When an incident does occur, they’ll be able to secure your environment and mitigate any further threat activity.
Gain Situational Awareness
Do you know what kinds of attacks or probes you’re being subjected to? You need appropriate technologies and processes in place to continuously monitor your environment for malicious activity or attempts. If you don’t have the resources in-house, outsource these services to the experts.
Consider Cybersecurity in the Context of your BYOD Strategy
More and more companies encourage their employees to bring their own devices to work. There are many benefits to the BYOD movement, but it also raises multiple security issues. Since you can’t secure these devices in the same way as corporate devices, make sure to establish proper policies and security controls to protect your data.
Partner with a Cybersecurity Expert
Not sure where to begin when it comes to cybersecurity? Consider partnering with an industry expert. A cybersecurity consultant will work with you to determine your vulnerabilities and plan how to secure your environment. While it’s an investment, partnering with a cybersecurity firm will ultimately save you money and frustration down the line.
