How To Protect Your Business From Cyber Attacks

As the world of data is ever-increasing in size, there is always an ever-growing threat to that data. It’s inevitable. That’s why it’s so important to be aware of how we can combat these threats and keep our information safe in all facets of daily life.

Businesses are particularly vulnerable to cyber threats, mainly because they have assets of value, which is attractive to hackers. They can also be severely affected by attacks, with a simple breach having the potential to devastate their operations. 

So, it is now more important than ever that organisations seek to take a hands-on approach to protect their data and implement the measures necessary to mitigate the risks of cyber threats.

In this article, we’ll review the top five things your business can do to safeguard its networks and reduce the risk posed by devastating breaches.

1. Encryption

Encryption is an essential tool in data security and is a way of bolstering the safe transmission of information, as encryption converts data into a form of code prior to sending it over the internet. 

This technology essentially works to encrypt information so that no one besides those with the network code is able to understand or use it. 

Encryption can be implemented through router settings, or through the installation of Virtual Private Network software on devices.

2. Backing Up Data

Backing up your data is one of the most effective practices in safeguarding organisational information and files. It works as a way of saving existing assets to offer users a preserved copy of information should its original form become compromised. 

It’s also one of the most cost-effective methods of bolstering data security within an organisation, being extremely easy to implement, manage and sustain. There are also a number of ways data can be backed up, whether it be through cloud storage or servers.

In general, it’s recommended that a business use multiple backup methods and update them frequently to ensure their system’s overall functioning.

3. Monitoring

Because each device a business uses serves as an entry point to its network, organisations should review the processes they take to ensure that their equipment and software are well monitored and managed. 

It’s considered best practice to keep a comprehensive record of the use of such assets, apply a consistent approach to remove any unnecessary data and connections, as well as to keep tabs on who always has access to what within the system.

4. Auditing

Given how often technology changes and updates in this day and age, it is now more important than ever to be at the forefront of developments, changes, and best practises.

Having an audit from an IT support company can help with this, working as a regular opportunity for organisations to review their existing data security measures and update them to make sure that they are up to date with the newest risks. 

This entails a periodic review of security policies, an analysis of weak points, as well as a strategic outlook on how existing infrastructure can be bolstered to better support data security. 

5. Multi-Factor Authentication

A tried-and-true practice in data protection, Multi-Factor Authentication serves as a simple yet impactful practice in the mitigation of data security risks. It employs a system that requires users to pass more checkpoints to access systems, usually through the means of an added security question or verification code. 

This adds an extra layer of protection to the process of accessing sensitive areas of a network and can make a major difference in how easy it is for attackers to breach a system. It’s also relatively easy to manage, only requiring users to add required codes to their password to gain entry.

In today’s modern world, cyber-attacks are constantly evolving and becoming more of a global issue of concern than ever before. Although you can’t fully prevent such attacks, organisations can take steps to better equip their own infrastructures to mitigate the potential damage caused by them. 

If you don’t have the in-house capacity to do this then ICT Solutions can help. We will implement security measures that are tailored to your organisations needs, whilst also taking active steps to ensure that existing security protocols and procedures are up to date and at optimal functioning. Ask us about our managed IT support today.