How to protect your business from cyberattacks

From online scams to advanced persistent threats, businesses are constantly at risk of cyberattacks. When companies are hit with a cyberattack, they often lose millions of dollars due to data loss, downtime, lawsuits, and reputational damage. It’s not uncommon for companies to go out of business due to a devastating cyberattack. Therefore, having a robust cybersecurity framework in place is extremely crucial. To protect your business from cyberattacks, you must do the following: 

Back up your data

Backing up your data will ensure that you have a copy of it in case it is lost or destroyed in a cyberattack. This is particularly crucial when recovering from ransomware attacks, where criminals may encrypt your data and demand a ransom to decrypt it. With backups, you can simply restore data on a clean device without having to pay the ransom.

A good backup system will typically involve multiple backups in different locations, both on site and off site. This way, even if one backup is lost or destroyed, you will still have a copy of your data. Consider using cloud storage, off-site data centers, and external hard drives to establish a well-rounded data backup solution. What’s more, you should conduct daily incremental backups and weekly system-wide backups to ensure that your data is always up to date.  

Fortify your network

There are many steps you can take to fortify your network security and reduce the risk of being attacked. One is to segment your network so that critical systems are isolated from the rest of the network. This way, even if a cybercriminal gains access to one part of the network, they will not be able to reach the sensitive data or systems.

You should also implement a firewall and use intrusion prevention systems to detect suspicious network activity. Examples of suspicious activity may include login attempts from unrecognized devices, a high volume of incoming network traffic, and unusually large bandwidth consumption. Being able to flag such activities enables you to thwart attacks before they happen.

Protect your endpoints

Endpoints are devices that connect to your network, such as desktops, laptops, and mobile devices. These devices can be particularly susceptible to attacks because they either have outdated security patches or poorly programmed applications. 

To protect your endpoints, you should install anti-malware software on all devices and configure firewalls to block incoming traffic from untrusted sources. You should also install the latest software updates to patch any security vulnerabilities. 

If you’re managing a fleet of devices, unified endpoint management software is a must. This software allows you to manage the security configuration of and roll out software updates to company-registered devices from a single console. Endpoint management software can even restrict access to business apps and files if a device is unpatched or connected to an untrusted network. 

Encrypt data at rest and in transit

To protect the confidentiality and integrity of sensitive information, you need to encrypt it. This means transforming the data into a format that is unreadable by anyone who does not have the decryption key.

Data at rest is data that is stored on devices, such as laptops, servers, and storage drives. To encrypt data at rest, you can use full-disk encryption, which encrypts all data on a storage drive. This is an effective way to protect data in the event that a device is lost or stolen.

Data in transit is data that is traveling  over a network. To protect data in transit, you should use a virtual private network (VPN) or Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. A VPN works by creating a secure, encrypted connection between a device and a VPN server. Any information that passes through this connection is encrypted, making it difficult for anyone to track web activities. Meanwhile, SSL encryption is typically used to encrypt data exchanged between web browsers and web servers. This is crucial for securing web apps that handle sensitive information, such as online registration forms and eCommerce platforms.

Limit access privileges

Users should only have access to the data and systems that they need to do their jobs. Production staff, for instance, shouldn’t have access to HR records or classified executive-level files. By reducing the number of users with broad access privileges, you can limit the damage caused by malicious insiders or cybercriminals.

Access management software can automate the process of provisioning and revoking user access. From the administrative console, you can categorize your data and limit access to them based on a user’s job function, location, and device. This software can also monitor user activity to look for suspicious behavior, such as excessive data downloads or login attempts during odd hours. If suspicious activity is detected, the software can block the user’s access and notify you so that you can investigate and address the issue.  

Teach employees security best practices

The most dangerous cyberattacks often target unwitting employees to circumvent advanced security measures. It’s therefore important that your employees develop good security habits so they’re not a weak link in your company’s defenses. 

To facilitate this, you must conduct security awareness training every quarter. Make sure to cover the following topics:

• Recognizing phishing scams – Phishing emails often contain certain elements like seemingly legitimate email domains from unknown senders, misspelled words, a sense of urgency in the message, suspicious links, and unexpected attachments. Employees must be proficient at identifying and avoiding these emails, and the best way to develop those habits is through phishing simulations. 
• Password security – Teach employees the importance of using at least 12-character long passwords or passphrases, as these make it more difficult for hackers to guess their way into user accounts. They should also know never to recycle these passwords across multiple accounts.
• Data safety practices – Employees must be careful when handling and sharing sensitive data. Provide employees with a clear data management protocol and brief them on who to report to in case of a data breach incident.
• Shadow IT – Discourage employees from installing unsanctioned apps on work devices. These apps could be a potential source of cyberattacks if your company doesn’t manage them properly.  
• Remote work safety – If your employees work remotely, they should know never to leave their devices unattended and avoid connecting to unsecured public Wi-Fi networks. 

Secure user accounts

While strong passwords are a necessary security measure, they’re not enough to protect user accounts on their own. That’s why you should enable multifactor authentication (MFA). MFA adds an extra layer of security to user accounts by requiring a second factor, such as a fingerprint or one-time passcode, in addition to a password. This makes it much harder for cybercriminals to gain access to user accounts, even if they have stolen a password.

Consult with cybersecurity experts

Cybersecurity is a constantly evolving field, and businesses may have difficulty keeping up with the latest threats and best practices. It’s therefore important to consult with cybersecurity experts regularly. They can help you identify gaps in your security posture and make recommendations on how to address them. Cybersecurity experts can also provide guidance on security training and help you develop robust security protocols.

Dynamic Solutions Group is a managed IT services provider that offers a wide range of cybersecurity services, including vulnerability assessments, network security monitoring, and incident response. We can help you identify and mitigate risks to your company, so you can focus on growing your business. Contact us today to learn more about our services.