No business is immune to cyber-attacks. In order to protect your company from these potentially devastating incidents, you need to be proactive and plan ahead. Here are seven of the best ways to prevent cyber-attacks. Implementing just a few of these strategies can help reduce your risk of being compromised.
1. Establish Email Spam Filtering and Encryption
To keep your emails safe, you should implement email spam filtering and encryption. Not only for outgoing emails but also those being received. Encrypting the content of an incoming or sending out mail will protect potentially sensitive information from being read by anyone except intended recipients – providing peace-of mind.
2. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) is an excellent way to ensure your business is protected from unwanted visitors. These additional security measures work as a second layer of protection for all the applications and systems in use, so you can feel confident about who has access without worrying if your systems have been compromised.
3. Utilise Data Encryption for all Onsite and Offsite Devices
Data transfers between work and home devices can be inevitable as more employees work remotely but keeping sensitive data on personal devices significantly increases cyber-attack vulnerability. Downloading files from unverified sources is dangerous because it exposes your system to malware; make sure you only download what’s necessary for use or else risk exposing yourself in the event of an intrusion.
Data breach root causes.
Summary of the three major categories for root causes of data breach. Fifty-two percent of incidents involved a malicious attack, compared to 25% caused by system glitches and 23% caused by human error.
4. Staff Training & Awareness
Staff training and awareness is essential for understanding how to stay protected from cyber-attacks. This includes providing new employees with information about what they should do if an attack occurs. Also conducting reviews of current practices in order to make sure everyone knows the latest guidelines on protecting themselves online. Finally, updating policies as needed, all while communicating this news effectively so there’s no confusion among staff members.
5. Implement Tools to assist with Password Management
A password is like a key to your business’s digital kingdom. It needs to be strong, unique, and guarded closely. But with so many online accounts and passwords to remember, it can be hard to keep track of them all. That’s where password management tools come in. These tools can help you create and store passwords securely, making it easy for you to access them when you need them. IT Glue, Dashlane and LastPass are some of the best password management tools we recommend. They allow you to safely store and sync all of your usernames and passwords across multiple devices while making your life so much easier and more secure.
6. Secure your Data Perimeter & Endpoints
Many businesses are still using outdated security technologies that can’t keep up with the latest threats. As a business, it’s important to make sure your data is secure by implementing updated security measures, like a secure data perimeter or endpoints. By doing so, you can protect your network from unauthorised access and prevent ransomware attacks from compromising your systems.
7. Formulate a Breach Response Plan
The most careful and disciplined companies can and often still do get hacked. Setting up a formal plan to manage potential data breaches in the event that it occurs is essential. A primary cyber-attack response team should be trained and implemented within your company. This team should be capable of responding quickly in case an incident occurs as well as assessing and containing any future damages that may result. Alternatively, Charles Square are award winning security providers and are more than capable of taking care of your security needs, including setting up a tailored breach response plan and dedicated team for your business.
Growth of Cybercrime Costs
Cybercrime has increased by over 600% as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The new solutions that companies are forced to implement to combat this increase in cyberattacks adds further financial pressure in these challenging times. A report by Cybersecurity Ventures shows that cybercrime is rapidly becoming one of the most expensive crimes in history and will cost companies worldwide an estimated $10.5 trillion annually by 2025.
It is clear that businesses are under a constant threat of cybercrime and must take steps to defend their data. Do not wait until it’s too late, take steps today to prevent future data breaches and the consequences that follow. There is no single solution for all companies or industries when it comes to cybersecurity, so we here at Charles Square offer vulnerability assessments where our experts will map your company’s digital assets in order to find vulnerabilities before they become an issue. If you want help with this vital aspect of running a business feel free to contact us today.
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