Blog Ten Steps to Cyber Security

1) Protect your networks

Ensure your anti-virus software and malware protection is up-to-date and remind employees to approve updates on their individual hardware. This is important; as new threats are developed, the software is updated to keep ahead of the game.

2) Make your passwords complex

Creating strong passwords is key to staying safe online. Experts recommend that passwords should be between 8-16 characters and a mixture of lowercase, uppercase and special characters. Best practise is to create a password that is three random words. Remember to create different passwords for different platforms, especially for sensitive information, such as emails and banking.

3) Be aware of phishing

Ensure everyone within your organisation is aware of phishing scams. Phishing is when fraudulent emails are sent from seemingly reputable companies to extract personal data, such as passwords and banking information. Our partners at Cofense may be able to help you control phishing scams more easily within your organization.

4) Ban removable media

Produce a policy to control access to removable media, such as USB flash drives. If you can’t ban this type of media, ensure it is scanned for malware before using on the system.

5) Create a home and mobile working policy

Especially during current times where many of us are working from home, it’s important to establish a cyber security home working policy that is rolled out to all relevant employees. This can include matters such as secure hardware, internet connections and privacy settings.

6) Enable 2FA

Two factor authentication is best practise for staying safe online. It utilises two authorisation methods, usually the first in the form of a password and the second via a device. For example, a unique code sent to a registered mobile number or email.

7) No clicking

Never click a link that you are unsure about. Typing the website URL directly into the address bar is a good habit to keep your network safe, even if the link is from a seemingly reputable source.

8) User awareness

Produce user security policies covering acceptable and secure use of your systems. Ensure this is regularly updated and rolled out in staff training to maintain awareness amongst all employees.

9) Back up data regularly

Think of the knock-on effect of losing crucial data if it was subject to a ransomware attack. Switching to a comprehensive cloud storage system will encrypt your data, automate the back-ups and allow you to always have the latest version of your files whenever you need them.

10) Manage permissions

One essential part of keeping your organisation secure is to only share files with trusted users, who have had the appropriate training. Knowing who has access to what and minimising who can perform administrator actions will reduce the chance of a threat.

Implementing these ten tips will be a step in the right direction to help keep your organization cyber safe. If you’re looking for a more serious approach to keep your systems secure, our ISO27001 and Cyber Essentials toolkits will help manage the risk of potential cyber threats and ensure your cyber security procedures are optimum.