How to protect your business from cyberattacks? – Part I

IT Managers of small to mid-sized companies tend to not prioritize cybersecurity. Saving costs and the underlying assumption that only big companies are targeted by this sort of attacks, help explain this position. In reality, small to medium businesses are being targeted more since they are less likely to be protected.

How to protect your business?

Cyberattacks are a constant threat around large enterprises, government agencies and small companies. However, you can take a few simple steps towards protecting your business. By adopting these best practices, you will save money and protect your business against cyberattacks.

 

44% of small business have experienced a cyberattack, at an average cost of almost $9,000 per incident.

Kerio.

The power of the password

This might seem an obvious recommendation, but it is surprising how many of us do not spend enough time choosing a secure password. Keeping hackers at bay with strong passwords, is a more effective strategy than repairing the damage after they have accessed your network.

A good password strategy is to make them strong and protecting them from unauthorized use. SO, how does a strong password look like?

• It’s long – a minimum of eight characters.
• Uses letters, symbols, and numbers.
• Uses uppercase and lowercase letters.
• Avoids real words or meaningful dates.
• When using words, random words should be the rule

Protect your passwords

Strong passwords can help protect your data, but protecting the passwords also depends of the employees not only IT Managers. Employees must understand how to safeguard these passwords. This can be done for example by implementing clear password policies.

• Password updates: Change passwords periodically. For example, every three months send a “password change” reminder.
• Password storage: Don’t share passwords with coworkers or family members, or write them on paper that can be seen by others.
• Computer security: Implement a policy of login off or locking computers when away from the desk.
• Password mobility: Be aware of your surroundings when entering passwords in public places. Airports, coffee shops are high-risk places for cybercrime.

Next week we will continue this series with more tips on how to make your business more secure against possible attacks and data loss.

Source: Kerio