The consequences of data theft & security breaches extend beyond financial losses. For a company, this could mean significant change in brand image, loss of consumer trust, and decline in market share. When it comes to cybersecurity, taking corrective steps shouldn’t be the first priority – Having a proactive stance and taking preventive measures matter over everything else. While it is not entirely possible to be immune to a security breach, businesses can follow basic cybersecurity guidelines. Below is a 10-point guide on cybersecurity.
- Train your people. A number of security breaches can be traced back to employees and internal resources. If you want fix cybersecurity, the first step is to educate and train your people.
- Figure out the common concerns. Some of the common cybersecurity concerns include malware, ransomware, phishing, password theft, and network penetration. Knowing threats helps in figuring out the preventive steps better.
- Test and scan your networks and systems. Ensure that all networks, devices, and systems are scanned for possible loopholes and vulnerabilities. It is absolutely critical to record test results for future reference.
- Update all firmware & software. Manufacturers of software, IP cameras and other hardware products offer regular patched updates, and it is critical to ensure everything is updated to the latest version.
- Focus on password management. Passwords must be strong, long and secure. Encourage employees to use a password management tool and ask them to create complex passwords, which include special characters.
- Check for access rights. Privilege accounts and access rights have to be monitored on a regular basis. Ensure that access rights and control are revoked, granted and updated as required for every user.
- Use multifactor authentication. For certain resources, systems, and accounts, multifactor authentication is a great choice. This basically means using a second or third layer of protection beyond one password, such as security question or fingerprint.
- Consider network segmentation. As the name suggests, this is all about segmenting the network into small subnetworks, so a breach or compromise on one doesn’t affect and impact others. Also, always use firewalls.
- Create an incident response plan. What should be done in case of a breach? Formulate a policy and let all your employees know. Encourage executives to report incidents, so that damage control can be done early.
- Encrypt networks and backup data. Ensure that critical backups are taken periodically, and for networks, consider the best encryption solutions.
Create your cybersecurity plan now!