A recent study has shown that the global cost of cybercrime will reach a staggering $2-trillion by 2019. That is a massive 4x increase from the $500-billion in 2015 and shows how important it is to keep your company data safe. Preventing an attack is far better than trying to deal with the aftermath, so it is vital that you put in place robust systems to prevent an attack from happening. Here are some ways your company can help prevent cybercrime.
Employee Education
The biggest users of your computer systems are you and your employees. For that reason, you need to be sure that they have the knowledge and confidence to use the systems securely. A good basic training in using your computers and maintaining security will go a long way to preventing an attack and could save you from any costly mistakes. You need to make sure that your workers know and understand your security policies and where to find them. It is also vital that they understand some of the most common techniques such as phishing so that they can spot them in the future.
Securing Passwords
One of the most common issues with workplace computer systems is losing or sharing of passwords. Such instances can lead to someone having access to the computer systems without needing to get past the security features. Training is one of the most effective ways to combat this issue. You need to make it clear to employees the seriousness of data breaches and how they can prevent them. This is especially important since a large portion of all data breaches are caused by stolen or weak passwords.
Protecting Your System
The software and hardware you use to protect your computer systems is a critical part of preventing cybercrime. Sometimes an organization will need to make the conscious decision to use the best systems they can, or they may be putting their business at risk. Ensure that you use the latest anti-virus software and that it is up to date. It is also necessary to keep your computer systems and servers up to date as well. By using a computer that hasn’t been updated, you run the risk of hackers being able to exploit holes in your software.
For those companies using the cloud, it is still imperative that you have a secure and stable system in place. When it comes to cloud security, both the cloud service provider and the customer is responsible for security. The shared responsibility for security means that customers need to ensure that employees are using the cloud services in a way that isn’t putting sensitive data at risk. While traditional security measures such as end-point protection, firewall, proxy, and anti-malware have been effective in protecting information. Moving to the cloud introduces new security challenges.
CASB (or cloud access security broker) is an emerging technology that was incepted to solve the security challenges that come with migrating to cloud systems. With a CASB, organizations can extend their security controls to their cloud infrastructure.
Seek Professional Advice
If you are running a small business, you might not have anyone that can help you with your security and install new systems. If that is the case, it is important that you seek the help of an IT professional so that they can evaluate and advise on the steps you need to take. Some companies use freelance IT consultants, while others prefer to employ a dedicated IT expert to ensure their security is maintained.
With good training and effective software, you can make your business secure and prevent your customer’s personal data from being stolen.
Kidal Delonix is a contributor to Mr. Hoffman's blog. The views and opinions are entirely his/her own and may not reflect Mr Hoffman's views.
