As we emerge out of the pandemic and start to balance a hybrid work environment, there are a few initiatives a workforce can take to avoid costly cyber-attacks.
Businesses need to secure themselves from an ongoing digital battle against cybercrime, with no end in sight. As a business grows, it needs to be flexible with technology. While technology is growing, key security measures need to be in place in order to safely move forward. There are many forms of cyber attacks like phishing, malware, DNS tunneling, and DoS attacks, for example. One of the biggest forms of cyber-attacks is phishing. In 2021, phishing attacks accounted for more than 80% of reported security incidents.
Between 2020 and 2021, the rise of cyberattacks has grown at an alarming rate. Many organizations and individuals began balancing a hybrid work environment and continue to do so. To keep private information safe from outside threats, it is critical to make sure your bases cover cybersecurity best practices.
1) Firewalls
Attaining managed firewalls is another solution many businesses are utilizing to protect their business from cyber threats. This approach is a must for any business because not all firewalls are created equal. Having the right security firewall that is properly configured to your business model and infrastructure is a must-have approach to blocking a majority of cyber threats.
2) Cyber Awareness and Training
Employees are the front line when it comes to the battle against cyber-attacks. Not many employees understand the volume of cyber-attacks the organization they work for are under. Most times, not even the organization is aware of how many cyber-attacks are attempted. This is why it is crucial for employees and organizations to educate themselves against the many different forms of cyber attacks. Whether your employees work from home or in the office, there are ways to improve awareness of cyber-attacks with cyber awareness training courses and programs. There are simple and easy solutions to help boost knowledge on current cyber events.
3) Backup Data
Employees and organizations should routinely backup their files and data. This is a simple and essential way to prevent paying ransomware in case your data is taken. It is essential to guarantee business continuity when it comes to backing up data. If your business has the funds, then make sure you are backing up your data at a different location within the cloud.
4) Establish Simple Policies for Employees
Since employees now balance working from in the office to within their homes, an organization must present simple, digestible guidelines and policies to ensure good cyber hygiene is in place. This is baseline support for employees and will help guide them toward better policies once established. A good example of one policy many organizations promote for employees is deploying a VPN, regardless of location.
5) Always Test, Update, and Monitor
When it comes to supporting employees and your cyber hygiene, routine testing and updates are essential. This ensures your system is up to date with the latest updates toward protection against cyber-attacks. There are multiple forms of testing a business can attain like, phishing tests, penetration testing, or a gap analysis. Many businesses look toward a technology consultant or managed IT service provider to help guide them toward a stronger roadmap for security.
The fight against cybercrime does not look like it will end anytime soon, so if a business wants to ensure their information is safe from ransomware attacks, there are a few basics that an organization must review and initiate. If you would like guidance on where to start when it comes to protecting your organization, please reach out today and we can set you up with cybersecurity tests by qualified experts.
