Having a developed security program which focuses on both compliance and security best practices will help to maintain strong security. Cybersecurity best practices encompass four general best practices which include identify, protect, detect and respond/recover. A cybersecurity attack can have various results from identity theft, to the loss of important data.
This step includes risk management. It involves understanding how an organization is establishing an assessment of how secure they may or may not be because that could affect the organization’s safety. Not identifying the organization’s risks affects strategic, financial and reputational aspects of the company. Cybersecurity does not protect from all threats and risks but it does identify vulnerabilities and makes strategies based on each vulnerability. The first step is to document and inventory all cyber assets. When all the assets have been identified, it is important to understand how the network is secure and protected for the organization.
A vulnerability assessment is important and once an organization has a good understanding of its assets, it helps to know the next steps to make the systems secure and protect it. Some best practices to help protect systems include user management, system hardening, management strategies, antivirus and malware prevention programs, and human factor prevention. Providing cybersecurity awareness training, establishing a secured USB program and having proper policies to restrict what can and cannot be done on the system is a good first step in addressing the human factor.
Not only should a company have strategies to protect the system but monitoring closely to see any unusual activity occurring is important. This step includes security incident and event management (logging). For example, if a system's password was changed and a process running on a machine cannot log in, this indicates that something changed and should be addressed. Any changes that have been shown could cause concern for the organization.
Even if something goes wrong, the organization should be prepared for responding and recovering. Response plans include responding to threats and attacks. If it does not work that's where the recovery plan comes. Organizations should come up with a plan for regular maintenance as well as a plan to upgrade their security-related products every two to three years just to be sure if this ever happens the organization is prepared to take care of the system.
Since the pandemic, everyone has learned alot about remote learning and security. The majority of organizations have exposed their employers and themselves to cyber security risks without even realising it which has affected the organization’s safety.
These are five easy way to avoid security risk:
1: Choosing Easy and Weak Passwords
Everyone has at least once chosen easy and weak passwords without even realizing. Although a lot of websites have a certain requirement for passwords, we still end up choosing easy passwords to remember. Remembering more complex passwords is a lot easier than recovering from a threat.
2: Autofill Password Options
Autofill password options are dangerous and since our devices have made it so easy for us to not have to remember anything, although this seems helpful, it can be a very dangerous thing to do. Saving username and password makes it insecure and easy for anyone to steal data.
3: Allowing Family to Use Work Devices
Allowing families to use work devices could be dangerous because it can open up your device to many threats if this person was to press just one wrong button. Since the pandemic it is very easy to give your work device to one of your family members even just for a minute, it could cause threats and risks.
4: Brushing Aside Signs of an Attack
Before a cyberattack is occurring there are alot of signs on your computer that could figure it out it is being hacked. Some examples are the mouse stopping working or your keyboard keys getting sticky. Employers need to educate workers more on how to spot these early signs of an attack.
5: Not Completing Software Updates Straight Away
All cybercriminals attack when computers are not updated right away. updated software helps to maintain and improve security measures. Although it can sometimes seem pointless to upgrade your app icons, delaying a software update can often expose your device to unneeded cyber risks.
Cyberattacks could happen to any one and are increasingly more common nowadays. If companies are not secure they could easily get hacked. Companies hold lots of customer’s personal information, credit cards, even social security numbers that could get leaked then the company might have to file bankruptcy. Cybersecurity or IT services and firms can set up a security strategy to help avoid this happening to you.
IT services are really helpful and they could set up security for your business according to its need. It prepares businesses for the worst, if it happens. The business could still recover from it. There is a no guarantee method but having strategies like a cyber security team which could look out for any unusual activity could be really helpful for the business.
Considering the impact of your security strategies is important and how it affects the growth potential of your business. Customers should be satisfied and be aware that you are employing strong security measures to protect data and privacy. People investing in businesses are also interested in learning how secure and protected the business is. Good cyber security practices should be considered critical.
Data is protected by standards such as HIPAA, SOX, GDPR and having proper security is a law and failing to follow these laws is asking for trouble which includes form of penalties and huge fines that will cost your business dearly.