When you’re running a company, there are a lot of moving parts to consider. You may be managing inventory and operations, delegating tasks to various departments, and ensuring efforts are coordinated to streamline your processes. At the same time, you want to make sure that information required to keep your company functional is protected from outside threats.
To do this, you need a cybersecurity plan. Why? Because the most successful companies expect problems and determine ways to resolve them in advance. If you want to stay ahead of the competition, you have to be ready for any changes that come your way. That means staying current with your cybersecurity plan.
If you’ve already got one in place, but it doesn’t undergo regular review, there may be holes in your plan. As software and hardware evolve, so do ways to breach them, or for new ways for processes to fail, with unforgiving results.
So how do you stay on top of your plan, and stay competitive in the marketplace? First, consider the many points of entry by which your information can be accessed. It only takes one unfocused employee using company email without following protocols for a breach to occur. Your plan should include regular updates to employees regarding best cybersecurity practices, as part of their ongoing training in security awareness.
Employees should know how to detect a phishing email, and what information they are permitted to access.
There should be a procedure in place if suspicious activity is discovered, and awareness training should include role-specific information as to who to contact when such an event occurs.
There should be clear restrictions on what types of sites can be accessed from work devices, what software is acceptable for download, and how to use passwords and multi-factor authentication that meet or exceed security guidelines for your organisation.
Consider rules to limit your employees’ use of their business email addresses and social media. While social media is necessary for companies to stay current and connected, be clear with your staff on how it is to be used in the workplace. Limit the use of social media, defining what information is confidential, whether work emails can be posted with online content, and how company trademarks can be used. Establish rules on using work emails to subscribe to online sites and newsletters.
Set up guidelines for the personal use of workplace email addresses, and how these addresses can be circulated. Make sure their use is limited to contacts related to business operations only. Restrict the opening of attachments to trusted contacts. Any suspicious emails shouldn’t be opened or responded to, but reported to the appropriate member of your cybersecurity team.
Have employees spell out their work email address online, using “at” in place of “@“ and “dotcom” in place of “.com” to deter spambots from accessing them.
If you have employees working offsite, specify requirements as to how devices can be used to access work information. There should be a policy on what to do if a device is stolen or an employee ceases to work for the organisation.
With so many working parts, it can be challenging to determine the holes in your plan, and whether everyone in your organisation is following the rules for keeping data secure. This is where we come in.
As cybersecurity experts, we conduct audits of your cybersecurity policies and procedures. We can measure the effectiveness of your security plan, and determine where data leaks potentially exist. We can pinpoint problem areas before they cause issues, and give you concrete steps to come up to compliance, so that your organisation is ahead of the game. Regular audits help ensure that you use best practices to stay safe in today’s changing online world. Let us do our best to help you protect your customers and employees, so that you can focus on what you do best!
This is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. We encourage you to learn more about how you can keep your information safe and keep your organisation running smoothly. Click on this link for more information.
