Cyber security has been an issue for quite some time now. And it’s getting difficult to remember a time when companies didn’t have to worry about it.
The number of cyber attacks each year has has risen to the extent that cases compromising celebrity pics leaked are becoming irrelevant.
From Adidas (2 million records compromised) to Facebook (up to 2 billion accounts scraped), 2018 has seen more than its fair share of massive global data breaches.
Unfortunately there are still many organizations that aren’t necessarily recognizing this rise in cyber attacks. Only 62% of organizations expect a breach over the course of a year.
As cyber crime rises, it’s important to make sure that your company is protected. In the event that a breach does occur, you need to have procedures and training in place to mitigate damage and get things back to normal quickly.
There are 5 ways you can improve the security of your business before a breach:
1. enforce secure password practices
Cyber criminals don’t necessarily sneak through the back door of your company’s network. If they can get a hold of employees’ passwords, then they can gain access by just logging in as any employee would.
Teach your employees to keep their passwords secure. Change the passwords regularly – every 6 months of so.
More often than that can lead to employees using weaker passwords, but regularly changing them can help to mitigate risks.
Strong passwords that are difficult for hackers to crack are even more effective than regularly changing weak passwords.
2. Look for your weak areas - then bolster them
In order to reinforce gaps in security, you have to know where those gaps exist.
All too often, companies base their security decisions on assumptions and anecdotal “evidence”. This can lead to serious oversights that can turn into major breaches in the company’s infrastructure.
Make sure your IT manager runs security audits to quickly find and patch vulnerabilities.
3. create protocols beforehand to handle crises
Breaches occur at companies who have even the most sophisticated and robust security systems in place. You must make sure that your organization is prepared and ready to act in the case of a security breach. Remember that speed is crucial when you are handling an active breach.
It is important to ensure that all employees know their role in the case of a breach so that there is no confusion. It is also crucial to plan out the steps each employee and department should follow in order to identify and isolate the breach. Doing this will keep attackers from accessing the most sensitive and valuable data. This kind of sensitive data includes intellectual property, as well as private information about your customers and employees.
With so many tasks to accomplish in a short time, a system to keep track of what has been done and what remains to be completed is an important addition to your security protocols.
4. Cover the basics
The first step to keeping your company secure is to put the basic defences in place. This includes things like anti-virus software, anti-spyware and firewalls.
These initiatives are part of the first line of defence your company has against cyber criminals, so make sure they are always in place.
When you’re setting up defences for your company’s digital devices, don’t forget to include mobile devices. Mobile threats continue to rise each year, so make sure your employees have safeguards in place on any device they use to connect to the company’s network.
5. Keep things patched
You’ve taken the first step and installed security software, but it’s important to ensure all of your software is up to date and install patches released by the publisher as soon as possible. This applies to applications whose main purposes aren’t necessarily focused on security as well as dedicated security software.
Keeping your company protected from digital threats can be frustrating and time consuming, but it’s nothing compared to the headache an actual breach might cause. By creating contingency plans, you can avoid that headache. Not only that, your company can focus on actually doing business, producing great products and optimal services.
TCS has worked with many clients to implement security software, install firewalls and create contingency plans. Through our Cyber Threat Assessment Program, we can determine where the vulnerabilities are in your network.
Connect with our IT Services team to book your complimentary network and security assessment.
For more information on a TCS Shield solution, click here.