The Internet is no longer a safe haven for businesses. It has opened up business owners to cyber-attacks in ways that have never been seen before. The average company can now expect three or more security breaches per year, and if one of these breaches goes unpunished, it can put your entire business at risk (McAfee). With this increased threat of cyber-attacks, how do you improve your business cyber security? This post will share important tips for improved business cyber security.
Evaluate effectiveness of current security measures
How effective is your current cyber security plan? Evaluate your current security measures and identify gaps that need to be addressed. Be sure to regularly audit the effectiveness of your cyber defence plan by asking yourself these tough questions:
- What is my risk level? How likely am I being targeted for attack now or in the future?
- Do we have an up-to-date program that addresses all potential high-risk scenarios?
- Are the software and applications that I am using the best on the market?
Remember that the most expensive cyber security solution isn’t always the best for your business. Also, make sure that the security measures you are implementing can be easily maintained and updated as needed.
Be sure that the software and applications in use have up-to-date patches and updates. Patching problems won’t stop a skilled hacker from breaking into systems via Internet connections. Therefore, it’s vital for all devices hooked up to the internet to always be on top of their patch management schedule. Apply operating system updates as soon as they become available because this will also close vulnerabilities hackers could exploit.
Limit access
While a firewall may prevent outside access of your files, it will not prevent employees from unknowingly sharing information. Enable your employees to share content securely, to limit insider threats. Make sure that they know how to safely use email, chat apps, Skype and other apps which are not encrypted by default.
Create secure alternatives for them if possible where they can collaborate on shared documents with other people or teams while still maintaining high levels of security.
Only allow employees to access the information that lets them do their jobs competently. Set stringent permissions so only those who are allowed access can do so. This is especially important when it comes to sensitive data like compliance documents which should not be accessible by everyone in your organization. It is also helpful if you have resorted to work-from-home operations to prevent the spread of Covid-19 as it will reduce security vulnerabilities.
Train your cyber security team regularly
To keep your data secure, your cyber security team must be capable of thinking like hackers. Identify any skills gaps and train your team on those skills to fill the gap. For instance, if your team lacks in programming skills, they will need to be trained on this.
Share knowledge among different departments within the company and have a central repository of information for all employees as well as cyber security experts from other industries that can help you keep up with new attack methods.
Phishing and ransomware are some of the biggest threats that businesses face. be sure to train all employees on how to identify these threats.
Upgrade your security protocols
Implement various security protocols such as two-factor and multi-factor authentication to prevent unauthorized access of data. These cyber security protocols will allow you to really keep on top of all matters related to digital safety and threats in an efficient manner.
Another important security protocol that you ought to consider is a Security Operations Centre & Security Operations Centre software. It acts as the nerve centre of any business with security concerns. It works by collecting data from every system connected to the network perimeter including firewalls; routers; servers and laptops on VPN networks. A Security Operations Centre also helps your business to stay updated about current threats and also look out for future attacks by providing real-time updates on emerging risks across multiple devices.
Improve your physical security
It might not seem so, but your physical security largely contributes to your cyber security. How so? Say a malicious party got access to your desktop or laptop. They could very easily infect it with malware or spyware.
to prevent such incidents, restrict access to all offices. Provide keys only to the people who need access to a given office, and make sure that keys are always kept in a secure location.
In essence, securing your physical assets is all about limiting access to them. When someone has no need for a specific workspace, restrict their access. This will help prevent incidents of malware infection or spyware installation on your devices.
Give keys only to people who have a need for an office space, and always keep these keys securely stored as well. Security companies should be used when disposing of old hardware containing company data; this way any information can be destroyed with environmentally-friendly solutions that are safe for humans and animals alike. Regularly monitor network activity by regularly checking logs, but most importantly focus on anomalous behavior – if something doesn’t look right.
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