Poor IT security is now a constant threat. As most businesses depend on their website and cloud-hosted apps, cybersecurity has become an ever-present threat to business success.

A report published by Risk Based Security showed that the total number of records exposed in cyber breaches in 2020 was 36 billion. Within the first three quarters of 2020, there were more than 2,900 data breaches.

If the celebrities’ Twitter accounts can be hacked, every company must invest in developing a cybersecurity plan and ensuring that it is followed to the letter.

Here are simple but effective policies you can use to mitigate the risks of cyberattacks.

1. Understand the Basics of Cyber Security

Be aware of where all business and customer data resides. Keep a log of your data on-site and in the cloud.

Delegate the responsibility to manage security to an employee or hire a managed IT service provider for this task.

Ensure that your IT infrastructure is protected by firewalls, anti-malware, and anti-virus software. Your IT service provider may also provide more advanced network monitoring to secure your network.

2. Do a Risk Assessment

If you are planning a comprehensive cybersecurity program, a detailed risk assessment must be part of it. It is the best way to select the proper security controls to mitigate the risk your company faces.

Your risk assessment should follow the international information security management standards specified in the ISO 27001 document.

This is the best practice approach that will reveal:

• The situations that put your company under cyber threats
• The extent of damage each situation can cause
• The possibility of each of these scenarios occurring

With a proper risk assessment, your organization will save costs. You will not invest time and effort in events that will hardly ever occur.

3. Invest in Security Training

Don’t assume that every employee in your team will know how to prevent a data breach. Train them to be sure.

Make cybersecurity training an integral part of every new employee’s onboarding process. Then provide regular training sessions to bring your team up to date on security policies and provide practical sessions where they put these policies into practice.

If you can’t bring all your staff together in a single room because of the pandemic, use an online learning portal to provide cybersecurity training.

4. Set a Policy for Device Usage

Today, more employees work from home, and they bring their laptops and mobile devices to the workplace. For this reason, you need to implement strict regulations about their usage.

Ensure that personal devices are approved for use before they can connect to your corporate network. All users must have updated software with strong password protection.

5. Put a Recovery Plan in Place

Effective cybersecurity requires adequate preparation. Don’t wait for a breach before you set up a recovery plan. Hackers may attack the most sophisticated online platforms.

Develop a detailed recovery plan and test its efficacy. Let there be security alerts that inform you about any unusual activity on your network.

Discover More Ways to Boost IT Security in Your Company

Garden State Computing offers comprehensive managed IT services to secure and monitor your network. Call us now at 973-636-7350 for a free consultation and demo.