We talk about cybercrime a lot. That’s because it’s rampant. Every day, people fall for scams and are victims of hackers. This is an issue for all businesses, who increasingly rely on computing and digital resources to function effectively. A data breach or ransomware attack can bring a business down. But you can protect yourself from cybercrime. Here are six ways to ensure that you do that.
#1 – Staff Training
Your staff are the guardians of your IT systems and have a vital role to play in protecting it from threats. They need guidelines on basic measures to maintain security. That will include recognizing the signs of a phishing attack and how to respond if suspicious activity is identified. Good password hygiene is a basic measure that staff need to understand. Your employees also need to appreciate the importance of protecting sensitive data about your customers, business associates and members of your organization.
#2 – Keeping Up-to Date
Making sure that your infrastructure is properly managed and maintained is essential. That means checking that everything is kept updated. Software requires regular patches to protect against security breaches. It’s not just software though. Hardware, endpoints and web browsers also need to be kept up-to-date so that they are protected from cyberattacks.
#3 – Protective Measures
Well-maintained security solutions are a key weapon in the battle against cyberattacks. Firewalls, antivirus software and any other measures you use need to be in place, tested for functionality and updated regularly. Special attention is necessary if staff work remotely and/or use their own devices (such as laptops or smartphones).
#4 – Data Backup
Regular data backup is very important, so that you lose as little as possible if problems arise. Copies should be stored in several places, including an off-site location and/or in the cloud. Effective data backup will minimize the disruption to your operations if you experience software problems, hacker attacks or a natural disaster that affects your premises.
#5 – Secure Your Wi-Fi
It’s obvious that you don’t want people accessing your network or using your wi-fi. Your Wi-Fi details should not be visible to everyone and should be encrypted. Hackers can take advantage of insecure Wi-Fi connections, so you need to do whatever you can to keep them out.
#6 – Passwords (again)
We’ve already mentioned the importance of password hygiene but, because it’s so important, we’ll say it again. Access to your data and digital resources should be password-protected. But it doesn’t stop there. Ideally, you should use multi-factor identification to make it harder for cybercriminals to breach your security. Use passwords that are complex, and which use a range of characters and symbols, but not so complicated that they can’t be remembered. A password manager will help, and can generate complex passwords for you.
These are the basics of keeping your infrastructure and vital data safe. For more peace of mind, you can adopt additional strategies. For more information, call the experts at Quikteks at (973) 882-4644.