The number of data leaks and breaches within large corporations is becoming more commonplace by the day, which is why it’s important to know how to protect your business. Cybersecurity is something that you need to implement from the very onset and maintain throughout because cybercriminals are constantly deploying new tactics to break the walls. To help you assure your customers, we’ve devised a list of ways that you can combat cybersecurity as a business.
1. Limit access
Gone are the days where everyone in a business can access all files. Businesses have learned through error that they must limit employee access to their most sensitive data. Limiting viewership means that you are narrowing the pool of people that may inadvertently let something malicious into the system. Further, you are saving yourself from letting disgruntled employees go out of their way to leak data or attack the system. There are new technologies that take this even further and assume that every single person in a network is a threat, therefore adopting a zero-trust model.
2. Software maintenance
Updating software is recommended by all the security giants like Norton: regular updates mean you have the latest patches which make your system aware of new cyberattacks. One cost-effective way of doing this is outsourcing your network security to a company. Total IT’s managed services, for example, can keep everything in top shape. Making cybersecurity a part of your ongoing operations management would be a good way forward.
3. Train employees
The weakest part of your security system is human input – they open up suspicious mail and click on dubious links that may contain malicious content. As a business, it’s your responsibility to educate your staff and show them what the current fraudulent attempts are. Even then, the chances are that some employees will act oblivious and click suspicious links. To put that into perspective, it takes people hearing the same information at least 7 times for it to sink in properly.
4. Third-party authentication
You will do business with third-party companies that pose an external risk to your network. You must ensure that every single person that enters your property, both electronically and physically is verified. The process of vetting third-party companies will be time-consuming, but it’s a small price to pay in comparison to a multi-million dollar data breach.
5. Increase password complexity
Authentication is a major aspect of infosec and cybersecurity. Out of date passwords become easier to crack. Enforcing regular password changes makes it more difficult for hackers to have time to crack passwords. When creating new passwords, you need to train your staff on the characteristics of strong passwords.
6. Create a response plan
Unfortunately, attackers do slip through the net no matter how secure you think your systems are. Knowing how to respond to a data breach in advance will save you a lot of time and money. Your customers need to be confident in your abilities to protect their data. No matter if you follow an ISO standard or not in your organization, this should be part of your risk management and it should be prepared.
Keeping ahead of the trends in the digital age is imperative. Businesses need to tackle cybersecurity both virtually through software and physically through training. Don’t let your data become another breach statistic.
Photo credit: The feature image has been done by Ana Disyak.
