It’s easy to put information online – perhaps a bit too easy. From social media to work commitments, it sometimes feels like we spend more of our lives online than off. It’s important to note, however, that this doesn’t mean your information is safe or that putting it all online is a good idea. It seems normal, of course, and to a certain extend there’s really no practical way of getting around it. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t security measures you should keep in place.
77% of businesses don’t have a formal response plan for cyberattacks.
According to the Ponemon Institute, as many as 77% of individuals interviewed revealed that their organizations do not have a formal response plan for cyberattacks. As a result, their businesses suffered when issues hit.
It is important to understand IT security as well as how you can prevent issues from happening in the first place, especially given that many businesses don’t have a game plan to help respond to an attack.
At ManagedIT we’ve been helping our clients in Singapore achieve peace of mind with IT security solutions since 1987. We’ve developed a unique strategy that is proactive and “hands-off”, making it easy for small businesses to implement.
Knowledge is the Key to Fighting IT Security Breaches
An alert mind is the first step towards bolstering security measures for your company. That means ensuring that everyone who works there understands the basics of IT security best practices. Think of your employees as your security guards – they can’t protect you if they don’t have the proper training, right? Here are some quick tips to help keep them alert and on top of their game.
Don’t Open Just Anything
Did you think that phishing and spoofing emails were no longer threats? It would be an understandable assumption – after all, these have been issues for so long that surely we have learned to avoid them by now.
Unfortunately, phishing and spoofing via email is still a serious issue. Pay attention to what you click and from whom the mail in your inbox is really coming from. Read subject lines before clicking, and if the email doesn’t make sense or isn’t something you’re expecting, delete it. Don’t click on anything, be it a link or attachment, if you aren’t certain you know who is sending it to you.
Keep in mind that some criminals can spoof an email so that it looks like it comes from someone you know, or from an institution with which you are familiar. In this way, they can get you to click links or downloads that you might otherwise avoid. This is why it’s important to think about what you’ve received in an email and why you’re receiving it before you click.
Keep Your Data Backed Up
Data backup is one of the best ways to save and protect important documents and mitigate security risks caused by malicious cybercriminals. Make sure that your employees back up any important information too. Keeping a local backup as well as a cloud backup is the most comprehensive solution to data loss prevention.
Beef Up Your Passwords
Securing workstations, inboxes and login accounts with the strongest of passwords can lessen the chances of successful data breaches. There are a few different things to keep in mind when creating your password.
Password complexity matters a lot. It has been seen that it takes more time to crack an 80-bit password than a 30-bit one. Go for longer passwords that are alphanumeric and use special characters. The minimum password length should be 8 characters.
Long passphrases can make a business access account even more secure. For instance, ‘WeAreaBunchOfHappyWorkers’ can be much more difficult to crack than a traditional password. Using biometrics authentication is another great means of defense against cybercrimes.
It is advisable to use password manager apps, such as RoboForm, LastPass, DashLane, or Sticky Password to help generate secure passwords and to remember them. For storage of passwords, you can opt for a USB thumb drive.
Keep Your Equipment Updated
Keeping software updated is another way to keep the hackers away. Updates are aimed to address vulnerable security holes by incorporating critical patches (changes made to computerized programs for fixing bugs and issues).
Hardware updates are equally crucial to data security. If your hardware is vulnerable and riddled with issues, how can it possibly form a secure base from which to run your software?
Secure Your Mobile Devices
Authentication measures are important to protect loss of sensitive information in instances of unauthorized access, be it via the accidental loss of mobile devices or through intentional actions of a criminal. Best practices include protecting access to your devices with strong passwords, encrypting local storage, backing up data at periodic intervals, auditing security-related configurations and abiding by strict security policies.
Schedule a Free IT Security Consultation
ManagedIT can help ensure that your IT system is secure and in great shape. We understand the risks you might be facing as well as how to remedy them. Get your free security consultation by reaching out to us today! Call +65 67488776 or contact us online.
ManagedIT.SG is an IT Support, IT Solutioning and Managed IT Service Provider specializing in serving Small Businesses in Singapore. Call us at +65 6748 8776 and let us manage your Small Business IT today!