Cybersecurity is a collection of tools, policies, security concepts, security safeguards, guidelines, risk management approaches, actions, training, best practices, assurance and technologies that can be used to protect the cyber environment and organization and user’s assets. Organization and user’s assets include connected computing devices, personnel, infrastructure, applications, services, telecommunications systems, and the totality of transmitted and/or stored information in the cyber environment. Cybersecurity strives to ensure the attainment and maintenance of the security properties of the organization and user’s assets against relevant security risks in the cyber environment.
A cybersecurity policy sets the standards of behaviour for activities such as the encryption of email attachments and restrictions on the use of social media. Cybersecurity policies are important because cyberattacks and data breaches are potentially costly. At the same time, employees are often the weak links in an organization’s security. Employees share passwords, click on malicious URLs and attachments, use unapproved cloud applications, and neglect to encrypt sensitive files.
Here are some of the key best practices to provide protection against cyberattacks:
1. Consider biometric security – Using biometrics provides more secure authentication than passwords and SMS verification. That’s why biometrics has already become an essential part of multi-factor authentication.
2. Implement a comprehensive information security policy that covers critical aspects of your IT assets and processes.
3. Employ a risk-based approach to security – Proper risk assessment allows you to avoid lots of unpleasant things like fines for failing to comply with regulations, remediation costs for potential leaks and breaches, and the losses from missing or inefficient processes.
4. Use multi-factor authentication – Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is a must-have solution for advanced security strategies.
5. Use the principle of least privilege – Granting new employees all privileges by default allows them to access sensitive data even if they don’t necessarily need to. Such an approach increases the risk of insider threats and allows hackers to get access to sensitive data as soon as any of your employee accounts is compromised.
6. Increase employee awareness – Use your employees as part of your cybersecurity defences to reduce instances of negligence and mistakes. Proper employee training is far easier than dealing with a data breach caused by accidental actions.
Interested to start your cyber security journey, get started with a free cyber security assessment and understand your readiness against potential cyberattacks.
