Posted by: Nauticon Office Solutions
Comments: 0
Post Date: May 18, 2021
When it comes to cybersecurity, what you don’t know can hurt you. Businesses of every size are vulnerable to a cybersecurity attack, and small and mid-sized businesses are often targeted more than larger corporations due to the increased chances of having few protocols and procedures in place. It’s important to regularly assess and understand your vulnerability level to prevent the worst from happening. Here are some of the questions that you should get in the habit of asking for cybersecurity awareness at your business.
9 Questions to Ask About Cybersecurity Awareness
- Do your employees need to create strong passwords? Over half of all data breaches are caused from weak passwords, and having weak or non-existent password standards for employees is one way to leave the door cracked for thieves to get in. Make sure that your employees have strong passwords that consist of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, symbols, nonsense words instead of actual words and that they are changing them regularly. In general, it’s suggested that passwords are changed every 90 days. This might be a pain for some businesses, but a vulnerability in your system that is exploited would be an even bigger one.
- Are you using two factor authentication? This is another key to protect your business and your employees. Two factor authentication adds another layer of security on top of the password to make sure that the right person is utilizing the system. Two factor authentication can be used with a cell phone, email address or third-party authentication app to get in. When it comes to cybersecurity awareness solutions, this is high on the list.
- Do you have access to a trusted security expert that you can go to with any questions or concerns? It is important that you know where to turn when things like a potential breach happen. Many businesses do not have IT partners that they can speak with about issues. At Nauticon, we go above and beyond to help our clients however we can, whether it’s through connecting them with secure print solutions or helping secure their existing office technology.
- Do employees use personal devices for work? This is increasingly common, but it also puts you at a dramatically elevated risk of something happening to your network or sensitive information. Whenever personal devices like laptops, phones and tablets are used to connect to your office network, it also increases the chance of a malware attack. For the highest level of security, it’s a good idea to request that your employees use work devices and forbid them from connecting their personal phones and devices to your internal network.
- Do you back up your files? Having an updated backup is very important in the event that something occurs and you do need access to your files. For example, if there is ransomware on your system holding critical files hostage that you do not have backed up, you might feel like your hand is being forced to pay the ransom. If you have a backup on hand, the pressure is much lower, and you can save yourself downtime and money as a result. We can help you find the right backup solution for your business.
- Do you have security software installed on company devices? All of your devices should be secure and have malware and antivirus software installed. These will detect any issues and can notify employees of potential hazards. When you have antivirus software on your devices, it’s very important that you have them set to automatically update. Outdated software can be just as bad as non-existent software.
- How many employees have administrative access? This should always be limited to exactly who needs it in accordance with your cybersecurity awareness plans. Only allow employees who require regular access administrative access, and otherwise allow them access only as needed to perform their job. Make sure that employees who have administrative access have additional training and education on cybersecurity issues specifically, as a vulnerability in their accounts could be much more damaging for your business than a vulnerability in another.
- Can your employees recognize phishing attempts? It’s a good idea to train your employees in how to recognize phishing attempts and phishing emails that might come to your business. Currently, phishing emails constitute almost half of all cyber attacks. A key component of your cybersecurity awareness plan should be employee education, and learning how to spot phishing is crucial. A good training program will not only show your employees examples, but also give them concrete tests regularly to ensure they remember the material. This could include things like sending faux emails that look like phishing attempts to see whether or not they click or respond.
- Are your databases and files encrypted? Encryption is another key piece of protecting your business from an attack and cybersecurity awareness. All sensitive data and customer information should be fully encrypted to protect against hackers. Without encryption, everything will be much more easily accessible and vulnerable. If you have the right system in place, you and your employees won’t need to think twice or worry about encrypting things. Instead, it will be convenient and second nature to get the job done. We are happy to help you discover the right solution for your business to ensure that files and documents are always encrypted and protected against hackers and anyone looking to do you harm.
We Help You Get the Most from Your Cybersecurity Awareness Program
Nauticon is a leading provider of managed services, workflow solutions and other office technology solutions that can transform your workspace. If you are looking for a better way to meet your office’s needs, we are here to help. To learn more about our company and see how we can bring innovative, real-world solutions for your office’s needs to you, contact us today by calling (301) 279-0123.
