The year 2020 will forever be remembered because of the global health crisis brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of computer viruses and nefarious actors, 2020 was also a year marked by a sharp increase in cybercrime.
As people around the globe were shuttered in residences under government-mandated lockdowns, many businesses implemented work-from-home protocols. Laptops, desktop computers, and mobile phones played an even greater role in the day-to-day routines of most workers, which increased the opportunity for exploitation by cybercriminals.
Today, many businesses are preparing for the year ahead with an increased focus on cybersecurity. Roebuck Technologies has compiled a list of key points to help in the fight against cybercrime.
Structured and engaging security training
A business’s first and last line of defense against cybercrime is its employees. It is imperative that every team member be keenly aware of cyber risk, including how to identify threats and how to defend against attack. Employees should be able to recognize suspicious links or fraudulent software, learn not to leave devices unattended, and not to post sensitive information online. Moreover, employees must be well-versed in organizational policies and procedures relating to cybersecurity, such as the proper channels through which to escalate identified issues.
An organization’s IT team must carefully design and implement a structured cybersecurity training program. The pace and style of the cybersecurity training program should ensure that employees can easily understand the content and retain the knowledge to act when necessary.
Proactive vulnerability assessments and patching
When it comes to cybercrime, companies should be proactive rather than reactive. An effective cyber defense system builds measures around detecting and preventing attacks, often starting with a vulnerability assessment. These assessments involve subjecting a business to simulated attacks and stress tests designed to reveal vulnerable entry points in its systems, enabling security specialists to design remediation and modify configurations related to infrastructure. Additionally, regularly patching applications, operating systems, and firmware will minimize exploitable vulnerabilities.
Comprehensive account security
Protecting a company’s sensitive information and intellectual property is a priority, especially with so much business conducted through the Internet. Restricting access to authorized accounts is crucial. Robust password policies that enforce minimum requirements in terms of length and complexity are key to effectively protecting credentials to access systems. Even more effective is multifactor authentication, which requires a user to provide another layer of information or use an additional channel to verify identity, such as security codes delivered via SMS or email.
Solid incident response plans
Despite being proactive, organizations may still experience a breach. It is essential to have clear action plans to follow in the event of a cyberattack that outlines necessary steps to mitigate financial or reputational damage or halt an ongoing attack. At the core, the basic measures of an action plan should include notifying the authorities, assessing the impact of an attack, and informing impacted customers or partners.
Test and analyze security posture routinely
Protecting your organization against cyberattack is an iterative process that requires continuous improvement. Hackers are constantly testing different methods to find exploitable weaknesses, so organizations must remain vigilant and conduct regular cybersecurity evaluations. Data collected from these tests must be analyzed to ensure a complete and proper understanding of the security system and identify new vulnerabilities. Organizations should consider deploying cybersecurity solutions that utilize real-time predictive methods like machine learning, artificial intelligence, and behavioral analysis to increase the chances of preventing cyberattack.
Cybercrime will continue to remain rampant, and the best thing an organization can do is partner with Roebuck Technologies. Roebuck can prepare you for many security challenges now and in the future.
