Do Your Part and Be Cyber Smart
Key Points
- Protecting your network should be a top priority for any business.
- You can do several things to make your network more secure, including using strong passwords and encrypting sensitive data.
- Physical security is also important when protecting your network. Proactively monitoring your network for vulnerabilities is key.
Investing in cybersecurity should be a top priority for any business leader. Taking some simple precautions can help protect your business from becoming a victim of cybercrime. Considering how much digital data is now stored and used by businesses, it should be no surprise that cybersecurity is more important than ever. While there are many ways to improve your business’s cybersecurity, being cyber smart is something everyone in your organization can and should do.
What Does It Mean to Be Cyber Smart?
Cyber smart means being aware of the potential risks and hazards associated with using the internet, social media, and other online technologies and taking steps to protect yourself and your online presence. It also involves being aware of your online activities impact on others and behaving responsibly and respectfully online.
To be cyber smart, you need to be aware of the potential risks posed by technology and take steps to mitigate those risks. The more caution you take, the less likely you are to fall victim to a costly cyberattack. Here are some preventive measures businesses can take to be cyber smart:
Password Creation: Best Practices
One of the most basic but important things you can do to protect your company’s data is to create strong passwords. A strong password is at least eight characters long and includes a mix of upper- and lower-case letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using easily guessed words like “password” or easily accessible personal information like your birthdate.
You should also never reuse passwords. Hackers who access one of your passwords will likely try it on other accounts. Using different accounts’ passwords helps limit the damage that can be done if one of your passwords is compromised.
Another password best practice is to use a password manager. This is a software application that stores your passwords in an encrypted format. Password managers can generate strong passwords and help you keep track of them.
Data Encryption
Encrypting your data is another way to help protect it from unauthorized individuals’ access. Data encryption scrambles your data so that it can only be read by someone with the decryption key. This makes it much more difficult for hackers to access your data, even if they can breach your security defenses.
If you store sensitive data, it is important to encrypt it both in transit and at rest. Data in transit includes sending data from one location to another, such as when you email a file or transmit data over the internet. Data at rest, such as files on your computer or data backups, is stored.
Extremely sensitive data, such as credit card numbers or social security numbers, should be encrypted with what is known as “strong” encryption. This type of encryption uses longer keys and is more resistant to hackers’ cracking. Encryption options are inexpensive, and many software programs make it easy to encrypt your data.
Install and Maintain Security Software
Another important cybersecurity measure is installing security software on all your devices and keeping it up-to-date. Security software, such as antivirus and antispyware programs, can help to protect your devices from being infected by malware. Malware is a type of software that is designed to harm your devices or steal your information.
It is important to install security software from a reputable source and to keep it up-to-date. Security software needs to be updated regularly to protect against the latest threats. Many security programs can be set to update automatically, making it easy to keep your devices protected.
In addition to antivirus and antispyware software, you should also consider installing a firewall. A firewall is a type of security software that helps to protect your network from attacks. Firewalls can be hardware- or software-based, and many routers have built-in firewall protection.
Limit Access to Sensitive Data
Another way to help protect your company’s data is to limit who has access to it. Only give employees the access they need to do their jobs and limit access to sensitive data to a small group of people.
You should also consider using role-based access control. This type of access control restricts user permissions based on their role within the company. For example, someone in the accounting department would have different access permissions than someone in the marketing department.
Regularly Review Your Cybersecurity Measures
Regularly reviewing your cybersecurity measures is important to ensure they are still effective. As the threat landscape changes, your cybersecurity measures may need to be updated to continue protecting your data.
You should also review your cybersecurity measures after major company changes, such as mergers or acquisitions. These types of changes can bring new risks that need to be addressed. Cybersecurity is an important issue for businesses of all sizes.
Veltec Networks Has You Covered
Looking to protect your business? Veltec Networks provides the high-level security IT services that San Jose and Bay Area companies need to stay safe from the latest cybersecurity threats. From data backup services to security awareness training, Veltec Networks has the experience and expertise to help your business stay safe in the ever-changing world of cybersecurity.
What may come as a surprise is that preventing a cyberattack is less expensive than it will cost you to recover from one. This is all the more reason to ensure that your business has the security support it needs from a company like Veltec Networks. We are the clear choice for comprehensive IT security services for San Francisco Bay Area businesses. Our experienced IT professional team can help you safeguard your data and prevent cyberattacks.
Contact us today to learn more.
