Written by Andy Hinxman, Keybridge IT Solutions
In these modern times, data breaches are still a very real and tangible threat. For some, simply not paying back up costs or employing security measures may seem like a cost saving, but you will not realise its value once you experience data loss and breaches.
So how can you avoid data loss and breaches?
There are two types of ways you can lose data or face a breach, deliberate and non-deliberate.
Deliberate attempts to breach data or data loss typically come from cyber criminals or disgruntled employees. Make sure you take every measure to prevent criminals from accessing your network, including permission maintenance, password security and restricting access.
Have a firewall which can restrict user access outside your network and control traffic both inside and outside your network. It is a simple measure to take to mitigate against cyber criminals.
Permissions and accessibility are key in maintaining security and preventing data loss and breaches. If an employee is always on the move, take additional measures to restrict data access or easily terminate access should the device be lost or stolen. Likewise, if an employee leaves (whether on good or bad terms), be sure to change ALL passwords and ensure they are secure. A good example here is those utilising systems such as Microsoft 365; access can be blocked instantly and devices partially wiped If necessary.
Passwords. We have said it before, but make them complicated and difficult to guess. The name of your loved one, favourite pet or favourite film are not good passwords, and things which make it easier for us, make it easier for the criminal as well. Something like Typsd5sd!gz$1 would be more secure than Mylovedonesname1. The more difficult it is to remember, the better to protect your network, and over time you will memorise your complicated passwords. With the ability to have your phone and computer store your password whilst at the same time leveraging the security of Multi factor authentication (which is a must in our book), having to remember the passwords are not as necessary as they once were.
Continue to train and educate your staff about cyber security, you may think they already know it, but always keep them up to date. Simply telling staff to not open attachments like ZIP files from people they do not know goes a long way to mitigating against cybercrime and data breaches.
Be vigilant and exercise caution! Be aware of spoofing and spear phishing which is when emails look as though they came from a senior member of staff, or in a response to an email chain, asking for money or to click on a dodgy link, like tracking information or to download an invoice. They can look fairly convincing, so can pass through spam filters, but do not come from the email user, rather from a similar email address. These are all rubbish and you should ignore them. If anyone ever asks for money, double and triple check with your Director before doing anything.
Non-deliberate data loss or breaches can arise from hardware failures or lack of software, such as anti-virus and web protection. Hardware can fail, and so measures need to be taken to ensure that should they fail, your downtime is limited. Likewise, software needs to be kept up to date in order to protect terminals and alert to any failures.
Always have up-to-date anti-virus to prevent against Trojans or other malicious software on your terminals. Always run scans and keep it up to date against the latest threats, which are increasingly evolving and becoming more convincing. Web protection offers an extra layer of security to your terminals, which can block certain websites or malicious websites (such as dodgy links in emails).
Back up PCs and Servers with remote/ cloud back up out of the site. This is to ensure that any damage to the server/ PC does not implicate as well the backup HDD, tape or external backup. Backup regularly and ensuring it is actually backing up. Keybridge IT can supply secure remote backup, which, is monitored and maintained daily.
Keep computers and servers in safe environments where they cannot be easily knocked over, gather dust or overheat. A gentle nudge can dislodge the hard drive or memory, which can cause further damage or data loss. Likewise, overheating can cause numerous issues for hardware and again can cause data loss and need for replacement, costing you more.
As mentioned above, ensure devices owned by employees are secure and protected, and if they leave the company or lose the device, you can lock down data easily. Microsoft Enterprise Mobility Suite is a software tool to accomplish this.
Keybridge IT provide fully managed IT support services, which do encompass Anti-Virus, Web Protection and monitoring software to mitigate against cyber security threats, all for an affordable monthly cost.