According to the Symantec Threat Report, a simple internet security plan was all that most businesses need to prevent the loss and theft of more than 80% of the data. Regardless of the size of the business, everyone these days is struggling to grow, stay profitable, and implement the most reliable security system to stay protected. Businesses are investing time and resources to balance the books, satisfy the customers, generate more business, nurture the staff, and maintain cybersecurity. While most businesses already have a few tried and tested methods to keep up with cybersecurity protocols, it is important to understand that cybersecurity is a moving target. It's constantly growing, and so are the risks of data security threat around it. Thus, it's crucial to implement strong cybersecurity protocols to minimize the risk and vulnerabilities and to prevent becoming an easy target for cybercriminals.
Information Security Training for Strong Cybersecurity Protocols
Your business is naturally at risk if you fail to prepare for a cyber attack. This is a common scenario for businesses that lack the resources and a trained team to keep information and data assets behind well-protected walls. Organizations that focus on providing cutting-edge information security training to the employees are in a much better position to deal with the prevailing cyber-security threats. The skills and knowledge help the IT team implement advanced cybersecurity measures to prepare the business for cyber attacks while maintaining everything under control.
Here are the top benefits of preparing your team with top-notch data security training to avoid becoming one of the big names that have already become the victim of the growing threat.
Start with The Basics
The best way to offer ultimate protection to the data is to find out where it is held. Businesses these days use cloud platforms to store data, which also needs security. Moreover, having more knowledge about data storage helps the team keep better control over how it is protected. Once you detect where and what kind of data you are protecting, you can make sure you have an anti-malware, anti-virus, and firewall software installed to offer the basic protection to your data asset.
Highlight the Vulnerabilities
With cybercriminals and their methods becoming high-tech and sophisticated with time, it is important to upgrade your security protocols as well. Using the old and outdated methods can be a huge risk at this point. Know your vulnerabilities and understand the systems that you are currently using for information security. Now compare them with the latest resources and tools available on the market. Weigh the pros and cons of implementing the latest systems to factorize if it justifies the cost involved in the procedure. Having maximum knowledge about your current position and state of vulnerabilities can help you make a better decision based on your affordability. However, it is crucial to prioritize and decide on areas where you need maximum data security. The best way to do so is to monitor the existing vulnerabilities closely to find out where you need the most improvement.
Train Your Information Security Team
As mentioned above, the best way to make this a successful journey is to involve your information security team and upgrade their skills and knowledge in the area with the right training. With a better understanding and knowledge, your information security team can come up with a better security plan. A trustworthy plan includes best practices for cybersecurity. These include procedures for keeping customer, vendor, and employee information safe.
A reliable cybersecurity policy must also include protocols that employees are adhered to follow in case of a data theft incident or a breach. Training also helps the team keep the entire organization on the same page as far as security protocols are concerned. For instance, asking all the employees to maintain hard-to-guess passwords, not leaving the premises without locking the system, and avoid opening emails from unreliable resources. Also, they can send out regular tips for maintaining computer and network security at all times.
Update Systems
In addition to the technologies and tools needed for establishing strong cybersecurity protocols, it is also important to update your operating systems regularly - including mobile devices, desktops, and laptops. Make sure your web browsers and OS are up-to-date with the latest software to protect against malware and other viruses. Also, keep a check on the third-party service providers to keep cloud software updated on time. If your work involves the usage of mobile phones, they should also be updated for security apps.
Set Access Levels
While you can set firewalls to limit the external access, your internal employees can prove to be the weak link. The trained information security team can set up a plan for restricting unauthorized access to sensitive information held on-premises and on the cloud. These factors can be outlined in the security protocols for better understanding. Restrict access using secure passwords and thorough monitoring.
Create Backups
Have a strong backup system for sensitive information. If the data goes missing or is stolen, you should have a copy stored in a much safer environment. This is particularly helpful in ransomware threats, where data is kept as a captive against ransom. If you already have a copy, the access to the original data may not bother you as much. The cloud platform can be considered as a safe environment for data backup. However, the information security team must ensure that all data backup storage and copies are well secured. Use passwords and encryption to protect all important and sensitive information.
Have a Solid Recovery Plan
With a recovery plan, a business is always prepared for the worst. Regardless of how secure your current systems are, there's always a risk for infiltration. Therefore, it is important to have a recovery plan ready to deal with a breach or theft. Install anti-virus software and firewalls to alert you when something unusual takes place. This will enable you to immediately put your plan into action to minimize the impact and loss.
It is very common for organizations to miss out on physical security. However, a trained team considers physical security as a part of the cybersecurity plan to further strengthen information security. To implement the best system, start with these few steps today and leave the risk behind your business operations.