Many businesses are adjusting to the new normal, where employees are working remotely and the workforce is scattered. Expectedly, cyber risks, concerns, & threats have increased considerably. Given that companies mostly operate in a hybrid & complex IT environment, it is necessary to think of proactive cybersecurity. Even what may seem smaller issues, like hacked cameras, can have serious consequences. In this post, we are sharing some of the best steps that businesses can take for minimizing and managing cyber risks.
- Beware of ransomware. Cyberattacks involving ransomware have increased manifold in the last couple of years. Many companies have been forced to pay the ransom, because they wanted to regain control on their resources and operations. Ensure that your employees know what social engineering attacks look like and don’t install anything that can be remotely a trojan or ransomware.
- Organize regular cybersecurity training. You cannot regularly and continuously monitor your employees when they are working remotely, but you can make them aware, responsible and organized. Ensure that you have regular workshops and training programs on cybersecurity, and if possible, conduct webinars that is compulsorily attended by all employees.
- Shut down what’s not in use. Just ensuring that all resources and devices are available around the clock is never a good idea. This only makes IT assets more vulnerable, and hackers and cybercriminals are looking for good opportunities. Ensure that devices and accounts that are not in use are logged out immediately.
- Use antimalware software. There are some really good antimalware software suites out there, and some of these have been developed for small and growing businesses. Consider investing in a suite that stands out, because it can actually prevent many phishing and direct malware pop-up and ad-related attacks. Also, recommend a spam filter for your employees.
- Rely on ethical hackers. Running a bug bounty program may not be as expensive or cumbersome as you think, and there are cybersecurity services that can help you manage the same. Engaging the security community is the best step you can take to find and fix security issues, which may be other exploited by real hackers.
Finally, make cybersecurity your priority. Sometimes, even when you have done your best, there may be cases where things may go wrong, and for these situations, you need to have a comprehensive disaster recovery plan. Get your teams trained on basics of cybersecurity, so that they know what steps to follow.
