The best cybersecurity tips every business should follow

A massive global shift to remote working environments has created an open-season for cybercriminals. No business-big or small-is safe. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) seemingly have a target on their backs, so strengthening your company’s cybersecurity posture is essential right now.

 

 

There are ways to protect business data against ransomware attacks. Here are nine tips to help your business boost resilience to cyber attacks:

 

1. Conduct a security risk assessment

 

Understand the most critical threats to your business, like system failures, natural disasters as well as malicious human actions, and determine the impact they may have on your company.

 

2. Train your employees

 

Conduct employee awareness training across your entire workforce to educate users on common scams and avoidance techniques. Also, because cybersecurity threats are constantly evolving, make sure your training curriculum is relevant and updated frequently. To help you understand more about cybercrime, we have published informative and useful blog posts – “How to protect your devices from cyber-attacks when working from home?” and “How to identify spam emails?”. Please feel free to distribute this amongst your employees, as it is filled with useful tips that will help you avoid spam attacks on your business.

 

3. Use multiple layers of protection

 

Implement a password policy that requires strong passwords and monitor your employee accounts for breach intel through dark web monitoring. Deploy firewall, VPN, and antivirus technologies to ensure your network and endpoints are not vulnerable to attacks. Extras: Consider mandatory multi-factor authentication, ongoing network monitoring, and hard drive encryption. Make sure that your business or IT service provider is Cyber Essentials certified. By achieving Cyber Essentials or Cyber Essentials Plus, or working with a certified IT provider, like us ADT Systems, your business proves its commitment to Cyber Security. Your partners, clients, suppliers, and employees can feel protected and confident in sharing personal or sensitive information within your business. 

 

4. Keep software up to date

 

Unpatched or out-of-date software will allow some kind of threat to breach your security. Cybercriminals exploit software vulnerabilities using a variety of tactics to gain access to computers and data. Managed service providers (MSPs) can automate this for businesses just like yours, with a remote monitoring and management tool. Don’t forget to keep your mobile phones up to date as well.

 

5. Create straightforward cybersecurity policies

 

Write and distribute a clear set of rules and instructions on cybersecurity practices for employees. This will vary from business to business but may include policies on social media use, bring your own device (BYOD), authentication requirements, and more.

 

6. Back up your data

 

 

7. Enable uptime

 

Choose a powerful data protection solution that enables “instant recovery” of data and applications. In fact, 92% of MSPs report that clients with business continuity disaster recovery (BCDR) products in place are less likely to experience significant downtime from ransomware and are back up and running quickly. Application downtime can significantly impact a business’s ability to generate revenue.

 

8. Know where your data resides

 

The more places data exists, the more likely it is that unauthorised individuals will be able to access it. Use data discovery tools to find and appropriately secure data along with business-class Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications that allow for corporate control of data.

 

9. Control access to computers

 

Each access point poses an individual risk, so limit employee access to specific data they need to perform their jobs. Plus, administrative privileges should only be given to trusted staff.

 

 

Partnering with a managed service provider will alleviate your cybersecurity concerns. Working with an MSP will give you access to quality advice on what technologies you need to protect your organisation in the fight against cybercrime. To learn more about our services, contact us today.

ADT has been providing expertise and great customer service since 1993, we have plenty of great advice that we can share with you! Call us on 0330 333 7439 or simply drop us an email at sales@adtsystems.co.uk We have many interesting News posts that are worth reading, so, please take a look!

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