The latest strategies for ultimate Cyber Security
No system is fool-proof. As cyber defense mechanisms are developed, so are threats. Companies that care about keeping sensitive data from hackers and other aggressive threats now need to step-up their overall approach. There are several steps you can take internally while others are best left to the professionals. Consult with a company that specializes in cyber protection to see how to best multi-layer your approach.
Train Your Staff
Many consultants will tell you to train your IT staff only. That is great, but half-baked. Everyone in your organization should understand the dangers of browsing and downloading as well as becoming aware of how to spot a breach.
Corporate Logon Watch
Even more dangerous, is when a criminal aggressor is able to copy a set of internal credentials, which is what happened to Sony, Dropbox and Anthem. Had they monitored logon activity, they would have discovered data being accessed at odd times and from unusual locations, ports or an increase in outbound traffic. According to a report by IS Decisions, 81 percent of breaches were the product of stolen login information. Finding the best way to track logins and authenticate the user should be a priority. Windows Professional allows users to enable logon tracking. The login history provides administrators with all login attempts and their origin.
Patch Management
Attackers generally start by looking for the easiest ways to get into a network. For example, software that isn’t updated is considered to be an easy target. Another example is when users remain logged into an information sensitive part of the server, leave their computer on. There are automated solutions that are available which will look for possible soft spots and install a patch to shore up the potential dangers.
Antivirus Software
We would all like to believe that antivirus software will catch all cyber attacks. Sadly, that is not the case because there are always virus mutations and variations being used. However, we recommend that antivirus software is used, maintained and updated as one layer of cyber security.
Email Protection
Spam, phishing and other email ploys are constantly attempting to prompt the user into thinking an email came from their bank, Google, Amazon or other well-known companies with whom they do business. By using an alarming or stimulating subject line, the user’s emotions become engaged making them more likely to act on impulse. These types of emails appear to be legitimate, and they have tricked people into providing their passwords and more.
PCI Compliance
Any company that accepts, processes, stores or transmits credit card information is now required to be PCI compliant. Yet, many ecommerce companies still don’t understand how that works so they have not taken action. In a nutshell, there are security standards that must be followed. For starters, they need to determine their level of vulnerability based on the level of transactions that go through their system. Each credit card brand has their own program; therefore if your company allows customers to use American Express, MasterCard, Discover and VISA, there must be compliance with each. It gets a little complex for most, so relying on PCI compliant experts for solutions is ideal.
Backup and Disaster Recovery
For goodness sake, don’t be lulled into thinking “this won’t happen to our company”. Your system needs regular data backups scheduled regularly at convenient times. Should something catastrophic happen, you will be good shape as your data will be retrievable and safe. Plus, you will not become victim to ransomware, which is when your data is encrypted and locked down in exchange for money or cryptocurrencies.