Business-sensitive information is something that many want to get their hands on. For unscrupulous competitors, corrupt officials, and other malefactors, this type of data is of particular interest. Access to confidential information and its modification can cause significant damage to the company’s financial well-being and its further development. In some cases, even 1/5 of your confidential information being stolen can have critical financial security implications. This is especially true when it comes to the data about new product releases, digital marketing strategies, or financial statements.
WHAT’S THE PROBLEM?
Did you know that 72.5% of organizations register cases of violations in terms of access control to information systems, and more than 55% of large companies are not sufficiently protected from cyberattacks? At the same time, the risk of cyberattacks on businesses around the world has grown by 24% over the year. All these should make you think about how to ensure the safe and stable functioning of your company. And we are ready to guide you.
WHAT’S AT RISK?
Cybercriminals are interested in your money, your data, and your IT equipment. If a hacker gains access to your corporate network, then they can use info found to damage the company, for example:
- Your customer lists
- Customer credit card information
- Bank details of your company
- Your pricing policy
- Product design
- Your digital marketing plans and content marketing strategy
- Manufacturing processes
Besides that, hackers can use their access to your network as a stepping stone to gain access to the networks of other companies that you are a part of.
WHAT CAN HAPPEN AS THE RESULT OF AN ATTACK?
A cyberattack can have a significant impact on your business. And 60% of small businesses affected by the attack are closed within six months of the incident. This is, of course, the most damaging outcome of an attack, but your business may have other serious consequences, for example:
- Financial losses from theft of banking information
- Financial losses from a company shutdown
- The high cost of rebuilding your network
- Reputational damage after notifying customers that their information has been compromised
A universal and guaranteed protection against cyberattacks has not yet been invented. At the same time, there are powerful cyber security tools for both small and large businesses that come in handy for all. And adherence to several important rules will help to significantly reduce the risk of external interference. The rest should already be a problem for cybersecurity specialists.
GENERAL SAFETY RULES FOR EVERYONE
It is important for ordinary users to remember and follow five simple and effective rules of data protection. And most importantly, do not be afraid to immediately inform the company’s cybersecurity specialist about a possible threat. You may think that the threat has passed and nothing happened to the computer, but malware just needs a click to get inside the network.
So here is what you need to remember about cybersecurity:
- Do not go to compromised or suspicious internet resources
- Do not open unknown emails, and even more so attachments, if you are not sure who exactly the email came from
- If you nevertheless open the attachment and see that the file looks like spam, contains information that does not concern you, etc., be sure to inform the helpdesk or a safety net specialist
- Use a trusted password generator to create strong passwords and change them regularly
- Do not pick up unfamiliar flash drives, even if you find a USB drive in the office or near the office
POWERFUL SAFETY TIPS FOR BUSINESSES
Just a couple of years ago, even large companies might not have had separate IT-independent cybersecurity departments. At the same time, the main problems of information systems security are caused by incorrect IT processes and technologies in companies. Even ideally-handled information systems will not give a one hundred percent guarantee. But you should still think about the below in order to ensure your data safety.
1) Information security
Here are the main technical means of information security that should be considered:
- Permanent backup, as well as remote storage of important data
- Duplication of all subsystems of networks that are important for ensuring the safety of information
- Cloud storage of important app-recorded processes that are crucial for business operation
- The ability to redistribute network resources in case of malfunction of some elements
- The ability to use emergency power systems
- Installation of software that protects databases from unauthorized access, thus, ensuring WiFi security
Besides that, technical measures include the installation of cameras and alarms on the premises to protect hardware from theft.
2) Traditional antivirus
Some of the antiviruses are capable of not only detecting and neutralizing malicious programs but sometimes also recovering damaged files. An important functionality that you shouldn’t forget about is scanning, the frequency of which can be adjusted according to the schedule that you define.
3) Cloud antivirus
The main difference between cloud antivirus and traditional software is that files are analyzed directly in the cloud infrastructure, and only the client is installed on the device. Thus, this powerful antivirus does not add a load to the operating system of working PCs.
#4 – Information Security Monitoring & Management Systems (ISMM)
This is a specialized software designed to monitor IT infrastructure. ISMM solutions collect information about network events from all critical sources. These are antiviruses, firewalls, operating systems, and so on. All this information is centrally stored in one place and analyzed automatically. Based on the analysis, the system instantly notifies the IT department of activity similar to hacker attacks, disruptions, and other threats.
#5 – Data Leak Prevention (DLP)
This is a specialized software designed to prevent data breaches. Such solutions are effective but require large organizational and financial costs from the company. A good choice if you are willing to pay for a really serious level of security.
ENSURE SAFE & STABLE COMPANY DEVELOPMENT
In today’s reality, information is not just money; it is a much more valuable resource. Personal data, sensitive information about the market, organization, know-how solutions – the protection of this data should be taken as seriously as possible. Otherwise, the risk of losing everything is quite high. No matter what niche your company operates in and how competitive it is, we strongly recommend you to keep in mind the above tips when building your IT network.
