6 Ways To Keep Your Business Safe From Cyberattacks
Cyber-attacks are a likely scenario in the digital age where business is conducted online. According to Security Magazine, in 2021, 2200 cyberattacks took place each day, which brings it down to one attack every thirty-nine seconds. With digitalization on a steady rise, this figure will likely go up soon.
Hence, companies and individuals need to protect themselves against cyber-criminals and competitors trying to access sensitive data. As a business owner/manager, it’s important to build cyber awareness and adopt safe practices to prevent data breaches. We’ve compiled a list of dos and don’ts to help you plan effective strategies to keep your database secure.
Train your staff
Even if you are careful with handling your company’s information, your employees can unknowingly grant access to sensitive information your adversaries are looking for.
So, it’s important to keep them in the loop and train them to avoid all such possibilities.
Teach them to check odd links before clicking on them, especially emails with an odd request. It’s always a good idea to check in with the regular authority or with the person sending the email before sending out sensitive info.
These practices can go a long way, especially in healthcare databases that contain a truckload of sensitive patient data, especially billing information.
A breach in such a scenario can lead to patients being scammed into paying high medical expenses or compromising their well-being by tampering with diagnostic reports.
You know how they say, “health is wealth?” Consider a training program, ‘Cybersecurity and Healthcare: Cyber is wealth,’ to effectively teach healthcare staff methods to stay on the alert of possible signs of a digital breach. Of course, professionals across all industries, not just healthcare, can benefit by leveraging online courses on cybersecurity to bolster their skillset.
Set up endpoint protection
An endpoint refers to any remote computing device that communicates back and forth over a connected network. Endpoint protection/security is, of course, protection enacted on that channel to keep the information you’re relaying back and forth safe from hackers.
Endpoint protection is usually implemented on servers, workstations, or any device connecting an enterprise to a network to manage security in a centralized manner. Anti-virus software alone doesn’t cut it in terms of cybersecurity. The bridge connecting devices to a network needs to be monitored and protected to prevent information from falling over it.
Keep your software updated
Regularly updating software has the advantage of getting new security definitions at the earliest.
By updating your software regularly, your systems have the capability of defending themselves against newer threats, and the likelihood of a hacker finding an open door into your system goes down.
Adopting this practice yourself and encouraging your staff to do so can greatly decrease the chance of any such possibility. Investing in patch management software that regularly updates those definitions can also be very effective in keeping systems safe from malicious attacks.
Set up firewall protection
A firewall helps to monitor outgoing and incoming network traffic and filter it as per the pre-determined parameters. It’s a great preventative measure against internet spam and can also bear the force of any attack made on your system before it can do substantial damage.
A good firewall can do wonders to protect your business systems, and it’s highly recommended that you set one up on your internet connection. You can monitor who is trying to access your databases and restrict permission accordingly.
Restrict physical access
Physical access to company systems by unauthorized people is a real threat. Someone can just walk in and infect your entire network with something as simple as a USB with malicious software.
For this scenario, it is recommended to acquire perimeter security systems to monitor personnel traffic at the workplace and prevent any break-ins.
It’s also imperative to strictly prohibit employees from sharing their systems’ passwords. Sharing this information with any third-party or unauthorized person can lead to data theft or corruption.
Do bolster physical access, encourage your employees to set passwords that aren’t easy to crack, and implement 2FA, a.k.a two-factor authentication.
Using 2FA for Network Security
Implementing two-factor authentication (2FA) across a corporate network provides unparalleled security compared to relying on passwords alone. 2FA requires users to provide an additional form of identification such as a text message or verification code.
This extra layer of protection is especially important in environments where VPN access requires employees and partners alike to transmit proprietary and sensitive corporate data.
If you decided to protect your Cisco VPN then investing in resources to ensure LoginTC Two Factor Authentication Cisco implementation will allow your company to protect its access from cyber threats and ensure peace of mind for your team.
Backup your data
Even with all security measures in place, there is still a chance of break-ins into your systems, and as a business owner, you must always remain prepared for this possibility.
Regularly backing up company data in a secure, offline location can be effective against an event where all sensitive information is lost during a cyberattack. You can also store another online data set that has limited access. Be sure to update your backup to prevent major losses.
Conclusion
Cybersecurity is an emerging threat that can potentially take down all that you’ve worked hard to build over the years. This is the next avenue of conflict in the digital business environment, and it’s imperative to be vigilant and prepared to stay afloat.
This article mentions a few ways to bolster your business’s digital defenses and protect your life’s hard work. So get right to it before someone hacks your database; the next cyberattack attempt is less than a minute away.
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