Another Year of the Virus?
The changes that have taken over our lives for the past two years have been challenging. 2020 was the year of the virus, they say, and then this continued into 2021. But, could this virus be both biological and digital? Could the solution to the latter of them be as simple as implementing better cyber security practices?
As COVID-19 continues to disrupt and threaten businesses, we continue to manage the aspects of the business that we can can control — sales, marketing and other internal services in order to maintain growth and continuity.
Along with these changes, comes IT. Due to the pandemic, most employees work from home. Banking, shopping, and almost all activities are done online. This is where cyber security best practices come in.
Cyber security is not limited only to those who run businesses. It is not only for organization leaders but for all of us. Those who rely on the internet for work, business, schooling, and everyday activities are all targets for cybercriminals. For businesses, the responsibility of protecting client information is vital. In addition, looking out for ourselves from scams and identity theft is important too.
So, how can a business avoid being a victim of a cyber attack? How can we personally protect our privacy online?
Here are Five Key Cyber Security Best Practices To Use as a Guide:
- Use a firewall as your first line of defense.
A firewall provides a barrier between your data and cybercriminals. It also prevents unauthorized access to your network. In addition to the standard external firewall, many companies are starting to install internal firewalls to provide another level of protection. - Educate your employees.
Train all employees who are accessing the network about cybersecurity best practices and security policies. Since the policies are evolving as cybercriminals become more resourceful, it is essential to have regular updates on new protocols. - Enforce safe password practices.
Changing passwords from time to time can be a pain. However, Data Breach Investigations Report found that 63% of data breaches happened due to lost, stolen, or weak passwords. As a responsible business owner, strict password policies should be enforced for protection. Recommend that employees be required to use passwords with upper- and lowercase letters, combined with numbers and symbols. It is also best to require password change at least once every 60 days. Also, explore Two-Factor Authentication options. - Take time to backup all data.
While it is important to prevent as many attacks as possible, it is still possible to experience breaches regardless of your precaution. Be one step ahead, regularly backup all important data. Make sure that backups are stored in a separate location in case of flood or fire. It is also important to check your backup regularly to ensure that it is functioning correctly. - Be vigilant for social engineering attacks.
Because there is a rise in the volume of social media information, hackers can find ways to reach you through malware via phishing. Be careful about the emails and texts you receive and make sure they are not from those who pretend to be. Avoid opening suspicious files and give zero percent trust when it comes to social engineering threats.
Secure Cyber Management
Owning and running a business or organization, of any size can sometimes be frustrating. Aside from thinking of the sales, we have to realize our responsibility to our employees and customers. Preventing financial loss, disruption of daily activities, and keeping your reputation is achievable through secure cyber management.
This is where Managed IT Service becomes necessary. For more on cybersecurity best practices, remote work assistance, backup, and data security, visit Indianapolis IT Leader leapmanagedit.com today. Feel free to contact us, as we can be ridiculously helpful in all your struggles, IT and beyond.
