You think you’re covered. You have antivirus software, firewalls, and a password policy that drives your employees insane. You’ve read all of the articles, know all of the risks that come with simply having a network.
Yet there is still a good chance that your company’s cybersecurity plan is missing a few key components. Data protection is an ever-evolving field, and simply put, the tools and techniques that locked down your network even just a few years ago are no longer adequate on their own in the face of today’s sophisticated and relentless attackers. The good news is that you can reduce your chances of experiencing a breach if you add three key components to your security arsenal.
1. Encryption
If you are a small business, you may think that encryption isn’t something you need to worry about. You might think that you don’t send anything sensitive via email, or that you don’t have any data that’s valuable to hackers. Think again. Small businesses are attacked just as often as large corporations are, often because they can serve as a conduit to the bigger targets. Not to mention, it doesn’t matter how big you are (or aren’t): If you collect personal or financial information from your customers, you are bound by federal law to protect that information.
Hackers aren’t always looking to steal information, either; in some cases, criminals have been known to intercept network communications and change their content, causing major problems on either end. The bottom line is that today’s encryption solutions make it easier than ever to quickly and easily encrypt your data without any detectable difference in speed.
2. Two-Factor Authentication
As the number of incidents involving stolen passwords grows exponentially, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the old model of requiring usernames and passwords to grant access to secure networks and data is no longer effective. Even if you require users to use “strong” passwords and change them regularly, there’s always a chance that a hacker can access the code. Spear phishing, social engineering, or hacking into public Wi-Fi networks are just some of the ways that cybercriminals access supposedly secure credentials, which they then use to slip into networks undetected and steal data.
For that reason, two-factor authentication, in which users must supply something that they have in addition to the something that they know (the password), is a more effective means of protecting data. Criminals may be able to get past the first layer of security, but it’s less likely that they will have what they need to meet the second requirement.
Yet there is still a good chance that your company’s cybersecurity plan is missing a few key components. Data protection is an ever-evolving field, and simply put, the tools and techniques that locked down your network even just a few years ago are no longer adequate on their own in the face of today’s sophisticated and relentless attackers. The good news is that you can reduce your chances of experiencing a breach if you add three key components to your security arsenal.
1. Encryption
If you are a small business, you may think that encryption isn’t something you need to worry about. You might think that you don’t send anything sensitive via email, or that you don’t have any data that’s valuable to hackers. Think again. Small businesses are attacked just as often as large corporations are, often because they can serve as a conduit to the bigger targets. Not to mention, it doesn’t matter how big you are (or aren’t): If you collect personal or financial information from your customers, you are bound by federal law to protect that information.
Hackers aren’t always looking to steal information, either; in some cases, criminals have been known to intercept network communications and change their content, causing major problems on either end. The bottom line is that today’s encryption solutions make it easier than ever to quickly and easily encrypt your data without any detectable difference in speed.
2. Two-Factor Authentication
As the number of incidents involving stolen passwords grows exponentially, it’s becoming increasingly clear that the old model of requiring usernames and passwords to grant access to secure networks and data is no longer effective. Even if you require users to use “strong” passwords and change them regularly, there’s always a chance that a hacker can access the code. Spear phishing, social engineering, or hacking into public Wi-Fi networks are just some of the ways that cybercriminals access supposedly secure credentials, which they then use to slip into networks undetected and steal data.
For that reason, two-factor authentication, in which users must supply something that they have in addition to the something that they know (the password), is a more effective means of protecting data. Criminals may be able to get past the first layer of security, but it’s less likely that they will have what they need to meet the second requirement.
3. Mobile Device Management
Even if you do not have a formal “Bring Your Own Device” program in place at work, it’s very likely that employees are going to use their own devices anyway. For that reason, you need to develop a policy regarding the use of mobile devices, or more accurately, a plan to secure mobile devices used by employees.
At minimum, employees should be required to lock their devices with a password, and run antivirus protection. Investing in software that allows devices to be remotely locked or wiped in the event that they are most or stolen can also help protect your network when employees use mobile devices to connect to it.
Cybersecurity is constantly evolving, and it’s your responsibility to keep up with the changes and adjust policies and add tools to protect your data. If your plan doesn’t include these three key points, be sure to make plans today to shore up your defenses.
Even if you do not have a formal “Bring Your Own Device” program in place at work, it’s very likely that employees are going to use their own devices anyway. For that reason, you need to develop a policy regarding the use of mobile devices, or more accurately, a plan to secure mobile devices used by employees.
At minimum, employees should be required to lock their devices with a password, and run antivirus protection. Investing in software that allows devices to be remotely locked or wiped in the event that they are most or stolen can also help protect your network when employees use mobile devices to connect to it.
Cybersecurity is constantly evolving, and it’s your responsibility to keep up with the changes and adjust policies and add tools to protect your data. If your plan doesn’t include these three key points, be sure to make plans today to shore up your defenses.