Protecting privacy data and adhering to cybersecurity compliance are aspects that matter for every enterprise. However, cybersecurity is not just about being compliant – It is more about having a practical approach towards measures and policies, so that data theft & security breaches can be prevented. In this post, we are discussing 14 steps that will help small companies in doing better cybersecurity.
- Hire cybersecurity experts. If your company doesn’t have a cybersecurity security policy as yet, or needs to update, consider hiring experts.
- Focus on testing. Test networks, networked devices, and resources to find security flaws, so that you can prevent cybercriminals from attempting a hack or breach.
- Create cybersecurity awareness programs. Your employees need to know what cybersecurity is all about, and also their role in preventing security breaches.
- Have an incident response plan. Chalk out the course of action, to followed, after a security incident or malware attack, so that managers can take charge in time.
- Change all default usernames and passwords. Even simple hackers can crack default passwords. Once a device/software has been deployed, change these details immediately.
- Don’t miss password protection practices. Ask employees to create strong, long and complex passwords, and make sure they are using a password manager.
- Check for access rights. Consider using an identity & access management tool to watch out for access rights. Transparency should be the primary goal.
- Consider multifactor authentication. For selected resources, privilege accounts and network assets, multifactor authentication must be used.
- Use the lockout feature. If someone tries to login into a system for a certain number of times, the account should get locked out. The lockout feature is great for preventing external threats.
- Invest in antivirus and antimalware software. Cybersecurity is all about being proactive, and such software makes it easy to find and remove malicious software, attachments and programs.
- Update all software, firmware, OS and programs. Ensure that only the latest and patched version of a software or firmware is being used for all devices. Also, update your OS regularly.
- Hire ethical hackers. Not many companies have the budget for this, but for finding security vulnerabilities and flaws, penetration testing is useful. Consider hiring ethical hackers for that.
- Get data backups. You need to have regular backups of data and resources, so that system can be restored, in case of any incident.
- Watch out for email attachments. Emails are often responsible for malware infections. Ask your employees to be careful with their office emails.
Small steps can go a long way in ensuring cybersecurity. Follow these guidelines now!
