Being hacked in 2019 is equivalent to having your business robbed or attacked. A cyber attack can negatively ruin a business reputation, cost millions of dollars in repair, and expose the privacy of millions of people. As technology continues to grow so do the minds of hackers and they are always finding new ways to compromise a network or system. The best way to defend against a cyber attack is to prevent one, and in this article, I will go over 5 really simple cybersecurity techniques that you should be doing.
1. Set All Devices to Update Automatically
All computers and internet devices should be updated as soon as a new update is available, and the reason behind this is because there may be vulnerability that was found in the old version, but the update will fix it. This is why all systems such as hardware, software, and network should be updated automatically to avoid threats.
2. Use a Password Manager or Use Complex Passwords
Having a complex password should be the first step of security within an organization and those passwords should be changed on a consistent schedule. Many organizations are now using two-factor authentications with biometrics involved and just save passwords to a password manager. Passphrases have also shown to be more secure so instead of making a password try using a full phrase such as, !iliketowalktotheStore12.
3. Be Cautious of Suspicious Looking Emails
The most common cyber attack is phishing, which is disguising an official email to be malicious, and it is most common in an office environment. Phishing is also the most common cyber attack and it can cause a whole network to be compromised just by clicking on a link. This can be fixed by having a good email security filter and by training employees on how to spot fake emails.
4. Use Antivirus Software
In 2019 operating systems claim to be extremely secure and many people have pushed antivirus software to the side; however, antivirus software is an important extra line of defense you should not look over. Antivirus software can protect your system from malicious attacks such as ransomware, and it can protect you if happen to accidentally click on a malicious link.
5. Hire a Penetration Tester
Penetration testing is a very important aspect of cybersecurity and can point out serious threats and vulnerabilities within a network. Penetration testing will outline weaknesses in hardware or software, ensure cybersecurity contingency plans are effective, and test disaster response teams or software. Having a penetration tester finds a vulnerability in a network is always better than having a hacker find it.
SecureNinja is an award-winning training and certification school, and SecureNinja has a proven track record of assisting Fortune 100, Government, and Military organizations. For more information on how SecureNinja can benefit you or your organization fill out the form to the right of this post or visit secureninja.com/contact.