Tighten Up Your Cybersecurity With These 4 Tips
According to the Herjavec Group, it’s predicted that a business falls victim to a ransomware attack every 11 seconds. With such breaches costing an average of £1.37 million according to an article by Forbes, it’s vital your company is protected.
But protecting your company is more complex than ever, as teams work remotely, use personal devices, and more. Follow these four tips, and enjoy peace of mind when it comes to your company’s cybersecurity.
But protecting your company is more complex than ever, as teams work remotely, use personal devices, and more. Follow these four tips, and enjoy peace of mind when it comes to your company’s cybersecurity.
#1: Back Up Your Data
If the worst should happen, you don’t want to leave your company open to a ransomware attack. Have your IT department back up as much of your company data as possible. Additionally, make sure backups are performed regularly; it’s not uncommon for large companies to back up data daily. In the event of a ransomware attack, maintaining such backups means you’re not trapped. There are other risks to your data; accidents can and do happen, and data storage devices degrade over time. Don’t take the risk; back up regularly to offsite storage, and perform thorough wipes when discarding used drives.#2: Perform a Risk Assessment
How do you know how to protect your company if you don’t know where the issues lie? Performing a risk assessment lets you know where the gaps in your security are. A risk assessment can be performed internally, or external consultants can be brought in to help. The assessment should take stock of devices, applications, your company’s network, your staff and their methods for accessing work data, security protocols, storage devices, IT access permissions, and more. Once the assessment is complete, you’ll know where your security is weakest, and how to solve outstanding issues.#3: Train Your Team
People are most commonly the weakest link in any security system. Weak passwords, successful phishing attempts; often cybersecurity problems exist because staff aren’t aware of threats or aren’t taught how to defend against them. If you’re worried your team might be at risk of digital attacks, train them on the following things:- Use complex, unique passwords for each login. Don’t use the same password in multiple locations.
- Communication is key; if an email they weren’t expecting comes from a manager, have them double-check with the manager directly if possible.
- Don’t open or respond to any suspicious emails, particularly if it’s from an email address external to the company or known clients and partners.
- Teach them to recognise phishing and social engineering attacks
#4: Manage Your Network
Another way to combat cyberattacks is ensuring your computer network is watertight. That means removing old device access, update software, and change passwords regularly. Your IT department should also regularly review network access; who is accessing company data? From where? And with what device? IT staff should follow up on anything that look suspicious, and staff should avoid using personal devices on the company network; company devices are often limited to approved applications and web pages, whereas personal devices can potentially access apps and sites that can pose risks to your data security. Follow these four tips and enjoy a smarter, safer way of working. Contact ASUS directly if you’re looking for more ways to improve and enhance the way you work and your business productivity.
