What is Cyber Crime?
Cyber-attacks are the rising form of crime. Any business, organization, as well as individuals, may become victims to cyber-attacks. The rising number of data leaks and security threats to software giants point towards this very fact. Such cyber-attacks are responsible for huge monetary losses to business in data.
It has become of paramount importance for a business to make sure that its systems are safe and secure. Here are a few simple but effective ways any establishment can achieve a reasonable amount of cyber safety.
Educate the employees
It is necessary to keep your employees well informed about safe practices and the potential threats to the cybersecurity of the company. Your security system may be cutting edge, but an employee who keeps weak passwords or falls for phishing will render it ineffective. Tricking ill-informed employees into granting access to the systems is perhaps the easiest way for cybercriminals to gain entry. It is, therefore, necessary to carry out cybersecurity awareness programs. Your employees must be able to identify potentially harmful emails, calls easily.
Practices like avoiding insecure websites, not sharing or writing down passwords, reporting dangerous emails, etc. need to be followed by the employees.
Ensure hardware security
The focus of cybersecurity is on the software and the digital environment. However, physical theft is a real threat to the sensitive data that you want to protect. Cybercriminals can get access to passwords, schematics, and other valuable information by being present on the scene. There is also a possibility of theft of hardware devices, and thereby, the data stored on them.
Some simple means to ensure physical security are hiring security personnel, using CCTV cameras, having badged access to sensitive locations. Bolting PCs to desks are some simple solution to prevent theft of devices.
Invest in Cybersecurity
No amount of safety consciousness can supersede the presence of robust antivirus software and firewall. Malware and ransomware are software that runs in the background and corrupts your files. You cannot notice this until it’s too late. Antivirus software can easily detect and delete such software.
Antivirus software may be good at eliminating threats to your system, but there is no guarantee. New versions of the viruses and malware are introduced just as fast as new versions antivirus. Therefore, an optimized firewall is of great importance to prevent the entry of malware in the first place. Therefore it is a good idea to invest in branded firewall and antivirus tools.
Invest in cyber security insurance
Every day, new ways to hack into your system and steal data are being introduced. Combating each and every threat is not always possible. The costs to your business due to breaches in security may be astronomical. Therefore it is a good idea to invest in reliable cyber security insurance. You must consult experts regarding the required cyber security insurance.
Privilege management
It is necessary to define and limit access privileges given to employees. Only the administrators must be allowed full access. You should give employees access to only the data and systems relevant to their work. This minimizes the damage caused during breaches, as employees cannot give away information they cannot access.
Regular security assessments
Third party security assessments can prove invaluable for your cyber security. Such assessments allow you to monitor your current status. It also allows you to identify the weak links in your security systems. You can monitor the potential threats being developed and take pre-emptive action.
There are various options such as Dark web monitoring that allow you to identify potential attacks and the methods that could be used. You can modify your security systems to prevent these attacks easily.
Keep software updated
A simple way to prevent corruption of your system is to keep your software updated. Your antivirus is constantly releasing new security patches that are equipped to combat the latest security threats. However, keeping software updated is not only relevant to the antivirus. Other software also includes individual security patches. Old applications are prone to exploitation and may cause huge damage to your business. You should check up on the new security updates for all software regularly.
Keep a check on third party vendors
Even if you have a robust security system, the third party vendors or suppliers can prove to be the undoing. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the third parties you outsource your jobs to. In most cases, this proved to be the entry points for cyber criminals. You must ensure that they conform to the cyber security standards you impose upon them. Also, you must try to integrate them into the threat monitoring and assessment processes, in order to keep their, and in turn your systems safe.
It is of great importance to keep your systems healthy and safe from cyber-attack. This involves some common policies as well as technical solutions as mentioned above. It is better to invest time and money into cyber security than having to deal with cyber-attacks and the loss of data.
