Cyber security Hygiene: What Are the Cyber Security Fundamentals?
The world of cyber security is constantly changing. However, there are several basic measures that any business should be taking if they want to avoid the most common forms of cyber attacks. Namely phishing attacks and ransomware. Since it’s cyber awareness month, here are six cyber security fundamentals your business should implement if it wants to maintain good cyber security hygiene and avoid an attack.
A firewall and antivirus
These basic measures should almost go without saying. You’ll need a firewall to monitor and filter any external traffic attempting to enter your network. And you’ll need an antivirus to scan for and remove any infected files. Installing these and keeping them regularly updated will keep your security one step ahead of the cybercriminals.
Regular updates
It’s not just your cyber security software that needs to be up to date. Every application in your system needs to be updated whenever possible. Cybercriminals are constantly looking for security weaknesses in everything from your Microsoft Word to Google Chrome. Meanwhile, manufacturers are constantly patching up their security gaps with new releases to help you win this game of cyber security cat and mouse.
Training your employees
With a firewall in place, it can be pretty tricky for a hacker to access your IT. That’s why they create phishing scams: fraudulent communications – typically emails – that pose as a legitimate entity asking for personal information or encouraging a click on a harmful link. Email clients can let these bogus communications in all too easily, so your employees are your first and only line of defense. The better they can spot a phishing email, the smaller the chance of a cyber attack.
Endpoint protection
Wherever your network meets a device – mobile device, laptop, or tablet – it needs endpoint protection. These weak spots offer potentially easy access to a business’s IT. Endpoint protection software goes beyond a firewall and performs tasks like patching, logging, and monitoring your endpoints.
Strong password policy
Passwords need to be hard to guess. This means they should be as abstract as possible, with a mixture of numbers, letters, symbols, and characters. These passwords should also be changed regularly and ideally combined with some form of two-factor authentication. Either using an additional code or with biometric data such as a thumbprint or retina scan.
Backup
Should these cyber security fundamentals fail you and your IT become infected with malware, a backup and disaster recovery plan is the ultimate safety net. Storing your data in the cloud is often an easy way to backup your data sufficiently; cloud providers like Azure don’t cut any corners when backing up your data. You should also ensure your backup is tested regularly so you know your backup can be relied upon in the event of a cyber attack.
Taking care of the above cyber security fundamentals will be a good start in the fight against cybercrime. However, depending on the nature of your business and your industry, there can be plenty of cyber security challenges that the basics ignore. This is where Landmark can help. We live and breathe cyber security, meaning we’re constantly doing everything we can to go beyond basic security measures. Outsourcing your cyber security with us means that everything is taken care of. No stone is left unturned, all your security is implemented correctly. If you would like to ensure your business is protected as well as possible, click here to book a meeting with one of our cyber security experts today.
