As Cybersecurity Awareness Month comes to a close we want to showcase a few key takeaways that you should implement into your business’s security procedures. Our team of experts knows that it’s easy to get overwhelmed by the ever-changing world of cybersecurity. To help we have compiled five easy takeaways that you can implement immediately that can help your business stay safe in today’s online world. For more help make sure to get in contact with our team.
Use strong passwords
Using a strong password may seem too simple, but weak passwords are all too common nowadays. A good password is the first line of defense against many types of cyber-attacks, so don’t overlook it. In fact, you would ideally use a password manager to generate and store unique passwords. Our team recommends creating a company-wide policy requiring at least 12 characters for any company password. This is a simple yet effective way to lower your chance of cyber threats.
Implement multi-factor authentication on all of your accounts.
Unfortunately, a password isn’t enough to keep you safe online. By implementing a second layer of identification, like a confirmation text message or email, a code from an authentication app, or a fingerprint or Face ID, you’re giving your bank, email provider, or any other site you’re logging into the confidence that it really is you. Multi-factor authentication can make you much less likely to get hacked. So, enable multi-factor authentication on your email, social media, online shopping, and financial services accounts. This is another item we recommend requiring your staff to use when working on a cybersecurity policy.
Update your software often.
In fact, our recommendation is to turn on automatic updates. Bad actors will exploit flaws in the system. Update the operating system on your cell phones, tablets, and laptops regularly to keep intruders out. And update your applications – especially the web browsers – on all your devices too. Leverage automatic updates for all devices, applications, and operating systems as it significantly lowers the chance of cyber threats.
Always think before you click.
More than 90% of successful cyber-attacks start with a phishing email. A phishing scheme is when a link or webpage looks legitimate, but it’s a trick designed by bad actors to have you reveal your passwords, social security number, credit card numbers, or other sensitive information. Once they have that information, they can use it on legitimate sites. And they may try to get you to run malicious software, also known as malware. If it’s a link you don’t recognize, trust your instincts, and think before you click.
Our team at Aspis recommends that businesses of all sizes add regularly phishing tests to their cybersecurity policy. These tests can train staff on what to look for when phishing attacks happen and how to avoid them. To learn more about how Aspis can help you with Phishing training click below.
Train Your Staff
One of the most overlooked aspects of cybersecurity preparedness that businesses often forget about is training your staff. All these tips may seem like common sense for your average cybersecurity professional, but most of your employees aren’t cybersecurity professionals. Simple training exercises and reminders will go a long way to prevent cybercrime from happening within your business. Training your staff to recognize these fraudulent attacks could prove to be the best business decision you ever make. To learn about all of Aspis’ cybersecurity training options click below.
Who is Aspis?
Aspis is an IT professional services firm headquartered in Kansas City, Missouri, specializing in cybersecurity and management consulting. Our values are Integrity, Community, and Diversity and our vision is to democratize cybersecurity. We make enterprise cybersecurity solutions and professional services accessible to all sizes of organizations from medium-sized businesses to large Fortune 500 enterprises; non-profits; and municipal, state, and federal government agencies. Aspis is an Independent Small Business, Certified HUBZone Small Business Concern, Certified LGBT Business Enterprise, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Certified Virginia Values Veterans, and Better Business Bureau accredit ted company. To learn more about how we can help you with your IT needs check out our website https://aspis.consulting and follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram to stay up to date on cybersecurity news, company updates, and need-to-know tips.
