7 Ways To Protect Your Company Against Cyber Attacks

Over the past few years, cyber attacks have become the norm. The problem was an issue for big companies trying to secure important files. Now that the internet is as ubiquitous as it is, every business is under threat, regardless of size. Cyber attacks will be a problem if you have an online presence.

Are you looking to protect your business from online attacks? Cybersecurity does not have to use fancy tech and security consultants; you only need to know what to do. Here are seven ways to protect your company against cyber attacks, regardless of your business’ size.

1. Educate Your Employees On Common Cyber Attacks

You do not need sophisticated software to protect your computer from specific cyber threats. The required knowledge is basic, yet most people forget it all. Knowing they’re looking to get your information at every step is essential when protecting your system from hackers.

A common example is an anecdote of how most cybercriminals disguise their malware as phishing emails. They look legit, and sometimes they even contain an attachment. All this information is publicly available and available to anyone.

However, most people don’t read such content. They usually just skim and move on to the following email without paying attention to the details. Untrained employees will fall for such tricks and expose their company’s confidential information. Educating your employees on how to spot such threats can go a long way in ensuring that your company is safe against most, if not all, common cyber-attacks.

2. Learn How Your Devices Work

Some firms specialize in IT security, protecting against known, unknown, or cyber threats, depending on their services. In addition to contacting them, you must familiarize yourself with each computer in your organization.

Ask questions that can help your team familiarize your company’s hardware and software setup. What are its functions? What type of operating system does it use? What are its vulnerabilities? What data does it store? What are your rights to that device?

These are all vital questions you should ask yourself or any company that puts in time for your company. If something goes wrong, these answers will guide you on the course of action to take.

Also, get familiar with your cloud-based data storage, security, and protection services. How do they work? Do they suit your needs? Do they notify their customers in case of a security breach? These are a few questions you should ask your service provider and your IT team if you have one.

3. Keep Your Hardware And Software Up-To-Date

Hacking and other forms of cybercrime are getting more and more sophisticated. Hackers are using machine learning and artificial intelligence to develop newer tactics, making them harder to detect. This means that your online defenses and software and apps are not getting stronger with time.

Every piece of software and application that you install automatically comes with updates. Many small firms will ignore the notification on their screen due to ignorance or a lack of time. Either way, missing these notifications is dangerous.

Updating your software and hardware is an essential step in cybersecurity. Updates will ensure that your devices aren’t vulnerable to the latest security threats.

New updates and patches are released every day. Don’t just ignore these updates. Your vendors and service providers are always looking out for you, so avail those new add-ons.

Hackers are always looking for ways to beat defense systems, and one way to do so is by designing new and more advanced versions of their schemes. Using newer techniques, they can circumvent old security measures that were put in place to stop them.

Update your computers and applications as much as possible. The tedious work will be worth it in the long run.

4. Use VPN To Build A Private Connection

The use of VPNs has grown significantly over the past few years. More and more businesses are turning to these networks to keep the information flowing in and out of the network safe from prying eyes.

A virtual private network works by creating a private tunnel directly between your device and your vendor that encrypts all your data. The encryption keeps the signals from being read by anyone who tries to gain unauthorized access.

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) gives you privacy when using public Wi-Fi networks or connecting from a remote location. It also allows you to connect to cloud storage or other remote resources that may pose a security threat to you.

The presence of a VPN ensures that your connection is secure, no matter where you are.

5. Monitor Your Websites And Apps

Chances are that you already have a website or an application that your customers or prospects can use to interact with you. People go to these sites to see what you can offer. When they go, they see you, providing an opportunity for cybercriminals.

For instance, if your website has a client portal, you should already have a way to connect it to your internal database. This ensures that everything you are doing is handled within well-defined protocols.

Do some research on how third-party applications handle their data. Do they work with a similar API? If they do, then you can use their existing security features. Before deploying your client app, make sure you have thoroughly checked it and done some penetration testing. Doing so can protect user credentials and any information you have stored.

6. Enforce Multi-Factor Authentication

Are you using the same username and password for every account you have? That’s a big no-no when protecting yourself from malicious individuals.

While having a single password for all accounts seems convenient, it opens you up to cyberattacks. Imagine if your Twitter, Facebook, and personal email accounts/passwords are all the same. Thanks to your laziness, a cybercriminal doesn’t have to look for one.

You need to have a policy for signing into your platforms. Make sure to generate strong passwords for all your accounts and change them as often as possible. You also need to use different usernames for your social media accounts.

Always use two-factor authentication for logging into your essential websites and apps. This may seem complicated, but it’s something you should be doing anyway.

7. Pay Attention To Your Endpoint Security

The term endpoint refers to any computing device in your system. Your desktops, laptops, smartphones, servers, and printers are considered endpoints susceptible to different security breaches. You may have antivirus software running on all your computers, but it’s not enough.

Ensure you employ tools designed to scan and protect all your critical devices and access points. These tools include antiviruses, firewalls, and access control.

These measures ensure that all of the entry points into your organization strengthen their network security.

The Bottom Line

Your employees are the front-line and your greatest asset in the fight against any form of cyber attack. Proper education on issues such as phishing and malware will go a long way to preventing the outbreak of a breach. With the right policies, you can secure your business against potential threats.