How to Make Cybersecurity a Priority in 2022
We’ve all heard the saying “it’s not if you’ll be breached, it’s when.” With employees working from anywhere and more devices connecting to IT networks than ever before, vulnerabilities can easily be exposed, giving hackers the upper hand. Once a breach occurs, it’s extremely tough for businesses to recover and some organizations can’t afford the operational downtime let alone the ransom, loss, or leaking of data. So how can you protect your business and make cybersecurity a priority in 2022? We’ve created a list of security measures that will help you implement the appropriate safeguards, improve your cyber resilience, and allow you to work confidently.
- Use multifactor authentication on critical business systems
MFA is an absolute must and one of the most effective and fundamental security strategies to block unauthorized access to systems and data. This helps reduce fraud and identity theft and increases customer trust. In many cases and industries, MFA is required for specific security and compliance measures.
- Proactively monitor and alert for all systems
Monitoring and alerting will give you information on potential issues before they take a toll on your business. If something goes wrong on your network, workstation, or device, your IT staff or 24/7 concierge team will be notified immediately to work to resolution.
- Keep all systems up to date
Making sure systems are up to date is one of the best ways to protect against malicious code and security vulnerabilities. If your systems are not updated, you’re essentially leaving your network wide open to exploits. Additionally, updates can often boost program performance and release new features. They can also easily be automated so you don’t even have to think about it.
- Secure endpoints
Investing in an endpoint protection solution will help you detect suspicious behavior and untrusted applications, acting as an additional layer of security to stop a wide range of threats. These solutions can stop never before seen threats with AI, block ransomware, and rolls back affected files to a safe state.
- Use a password manager
Using a password management tool allows you to generate, store, and easily access passwords without having to remember each password. Password management tools with multi-factor authentication are cost-effective and can exponentially decrease the likelihood of a security breach. Many password managers provide additional features such as dark web scanning, multi-device access and syncing, and activity reporting.
- Implement ongoing security awareness training and exercises for all staff members
Educating your staff on how to recognize a phishing email or phone call and the mechanisms of spam phishing, malware, and social engineering is crucial. Aim to foster a culture of security and make sure every employee is participating.
- Create an incident response plan and practice it
The best way to avoid having a cyberattack turn into a full breach is to prepare in advance. Having a well-prepared, well-understood response plan that all key parties can immediately put into action will dramatically reduce the impact of an attack on your organization. Don’t forget to practice it regularly!
Work confidently with reliable and secure solutions
Cybersecurity can be an overwhelming task. If you have any questions or would like help implementing these cybersecurity defenses, please contact us – our team of consultants, engineers, and support staff are here to help you!
