The importance of secure cybersecurity measures cannot be overstated. That is a simple fact of the modern world, practically everything is hooked into cyberspace in one way or another, and someone with enough knowledge and expertise can disable, shut down, and destroy entire countries in extreme cases. The number of security breaches and scandals is a long, long list, and even though there is no such thing as an “impenetrable” system in today’s world, having effective security infrastructure greatly reduces the risk of your data and finances and the like being held for ransom. So with that, here are some basic steps to get you started.
Audit
At some point, you will need professionals to handle your cybersecurity, and that is simply something you cannot avoid. But before you head off to get assistance from folks like Sygnia cybersecurity services, you should carry out a thorough audit, take stock of just how secure your business is, and identify your strengths and weaknesses, like vulnerable entry points and crucial data. This audit will serve as a sort of navigational chart, helping you and your team make informed decisions about where to most effectively allocate your resources.
Prevention
Prevention is better than cure, every time, so start to strengthen your defenses with strong security controls, like firewalls, secure network architecture, and intrusion detection to, well, detect any intrusion into your systems. Segment your network to isolate crucial assets from any potential threats. Enforce more rigorous access controls, and by layering your defenses in this way, you create multiple virtual barriers for any would-be intruders, greatly reducing the risk of successful cyber attacks. Regularly have vulnerability assessments performed, and swiftly apply patches.
Enhance Password Management
This may sound a little undramatic, but you would not believe how many people have been subject to intrusions just because of their passwords. In today’s world, regularly updating your passwords on all your devices is a must, as they can always end up in the wrong hands or get discovered, so it is a good idea to modify them and stay protected. Use strong passwords with plenty of variation in characters, symbols, and numbers, to make them that much harder to compromise, rather than using something obvious like your year of birth or your name or just 1234.
Soft- and Firmware Updates
Those constant Windows updates on your computer, new updates on your phone, and so on can get tedious quickly, and sometimes they even break a few things, but the truth is, these software and firmware updates are vital factors to staying cyber resilient, as these product updates often include patches and fixes that address new vulnerabilities, which are also constantly tearing into your security infrastructure. However, keeping track of all the updates by different vendors can be frustrating, so make sure you automate these updates so you don’t lag behind. But be sure and keep a backup of your system in case an update proves counterproductive and you need to roll back to the last updated version.
Awareness and Training
Naturally, all the firewalls in the world won’t prove very useful if you and your team have no idea about cybersecurity. Your people and your employees are your greatest asset, naturally, but also your most glaring potential vulnerability, so invest in good cybersecurity awareness training, and educate yourselves about viable practices, phishing attacks, and why strong passwords are so important. The more everyone knows, the more they recognize the warning signs and potential dangers early enough to avoid them.
Data Protection and Encryption
An excellent layer of protection for your data is encryption, as even if an attacker infiltrates your network and gains access, the encrypted data stays unreadable without the right decryption keys. Making disaster recovery plans and regularly backing up your data will also help protect you from data loss. Layering your data protection with authorization and authentication methods is the least you want to do, and you can even go a step further and deploy multi-factor authorization, to really lock it all down. There are three fundamentals, and they are usually based on something you know, such as usernames, pins, passwords, and other similar information, or something you own. For example, this may be a certificate, an identification card, or an authenticator software for your phone, among other things. Additionally, it could be something that you are, which includes things like fingerprints and face recognition.
Continuous Vigilance
Great cybersecurity isn’t a one-and-done type of deal. You should be continuously monitoring your networks, systems, and what the people around you are doing to detect any potential breaches or anomalies in time. Update your software, and make sure you are up-to-date on current practices and aware of emerging threats. Stay agile, on your feet, adaptable, and your cybersecurity measures will remain effective. As soon as you take your eye off the ball, so to speak, you give vulnerabilities in your systems a way through.
Monitor Physical Space
In recent years, a lot of employees have started partly working from home, remotely, which is, of course, great for the workers, but a consequence of this was organizations losing control and oversight of physical devices that are used to access their digital assets. Not good. Before, getting access to the network was primarily restricted from inside the building, where visitors were escorted, on CCTV, had ID badges, and so on. That has changed drastically, of course, and it is vital that you have secure authentication for users who are accessing your systems from personal devices, as otherwise, you have a gaping wound or hole in your cybersecurity infrastructure just waiting for someone to walk into it.
The line between your digital platform being good and safe, and suddenly being under the control of someone else, for any number of nefarious purposes, is terrifyingly thin. You have to get ahead of the risks to stand a chance, and the challenges and holes found in network systems increase by the day. Luckily, with the right vendors and knowledge and caution taken, you can dramatically lessen the risks of your networks being breached by third parties.