What is cybersecurity and how can you ensure it so that your organisation operates safely and is not exposed to additional costs related to downtime and problems with contractors, etc.? Let’s take a look.
What is network cybersecurity?
This term actually refers to a whole set of diverse practices, technologies and processes that have one task: to protect IT infrastructure (systems, networks, data) from unauthorised access by unauthorised persons, attacks and other threats. It covers technical aspects (security systems or firewalls) and organisational aspects (procedures, policies, training).
The main cybersecurity threats that a company must be prepared for
In an era of widespread digitisation of every aspect of life (including business in particular), personal data protection and IT security are becoming crucial. Information leaks can lead to huge financial losses, loss of reputation, and legal consequences related to GDPR violations.
As you can see, the spectrum of threats is really wide, and worst of all, cybercriminals are constantly looking for new ways to attack. It is important to mention that such threats can come not only from outside, but also from within, for example through unintentional errors or deliberate (sabotage) actions by employees themselves.
The most popular methods include:
- Phishing – sending fake emails designed to steal passwords, login details or trick the recipient into clicking on a malicious link.
- Ransomware – malicious software that encrypts data and systems and then demands a ransom to unlock them.
In addition to these, it is worth being aware of other threats that may affect your company:
- malware – malicious software,
- Trojan viruses – programmes enabling remote access,
- DDoS attacks – overloading servers with traffic,
- SQL injection – stealing information from databases,
- social engineering – psychological manipulation,
- identity theft – theft of personal data.
How to protect your company against cyber attacks?
Let’s start with the fact that, just as attacks can take many different forms, protection against them requires action on many fronts. Start with a security audit to identify weaknesses in your organisation. Then implement a cybersecurity policy, establish mandatory security measures, monitor access to sensitive resources, regularly educate your employees, and respond to any warning signs.
#1 Use strong passwords
A minimum of a dozen characters – containing a combination of upper and lower case letters, numbers and special characters. Important: avoid obvious ones such as dates of birth, names, popular passwords, and above all – do not use the same one for different tools and systems.
#2 Use two-factor authentication
This provides an additional layer of security requiring identity confirmation in two ways (e.g. with a password and a one-time code sent by email or SMS).
#3 Implement a firewall
A proper system efficiently monitors and controls network traffic, responding to and blocking potentially dangerous connections. Depending on your needs, it can operate at the network level and protect the entire infrastructure, or at the individual user level, securing specific equipment (computers).
#4 Back up your data regularly
A backup is your lifeline in the event of a ransomware attack, hardware failure or human error. Remember to test it regularly. Simply making a backup does not guarantee that the data stored in this way can be opened at all.
#5 Educate your employees
Most attacks and problems occur as a result of human weaknesses that even the best security systems cannot cope with. Therefore, organise regular training sessions to make your employees aware of the threats and show them how to prevent them.
Do you care about the security of your company’s IT resources?
If you want to be sure that your organisation is adequately protected against modern threats, contact us and take advantage of our support. We will discuss the details and show you how we can help.
