Everything You Need to Know about Cyber Security

Everything You Need to Know about Cyber Security

In today’s world of online everything, cyber security is not just a luxury or an afterthought. It is a vital component that protects your organization’s employees, customers, reputation, and ability to survive. Check out the most important points you need to know about cyber security in the digital age.

How Employee Behavior Affects Security

Your employees play a huge role in your security, but they can’t be expected to follow best practices unless they know what they are. You can ensure they maintain the strength of your security by

Providing ongoing training: Information and training works best when you provide it consistently. Schedule informal training sessions, issue monthly reminders, and use microlearning to emphasize important points. 

Establishing clear internet usage and data rules: Set the parameters for use of all devices connected to the internet, whether they’re company computers or personal tablets and smartphones.

Encouraging strong passwords: Weak or stolen passwords account for 80% of cyber attacks, according to Finances Online. Make sure employees create strong passwords and safeguard them accordingly.

Reasons Cyber Security is Vital to Your Company’s Future

Without powerful cyber security measures in place, your company is at risk for numerous issues, any of which could contribute to your eventual overall downfall.

Protects Crucial Information 

Loss of critical data can be devastating to your business, but proper security measures can keep it safe and intact. Limiting access to crucial information is one way to protect it, while encryption is another.

Gives Customers Peace of Mind

Customers can rest assured their personal data remains protected on your system when adequate cyber security is in place. This applies to names, addresses, dates of birth, credit card numbers, and any other information they provide.

Protects against Viruses, Spyware and Identity Theft

Viruses can slow down or damage your system, along with deleting data. Spyware can collect nearly any type of data from your system, including personal information that results in identity theft.

Saves Money and Resources

The cost and effort of implementing a solid cyber security system is significantly lower than the cost and effort of repairing your system and reputation after a cyber attack.

Explanation of Available Features

Cyber security software comes in a variety of types, such as firewall, antivirus, spyware detection, and password protection programs. They contain a number of features designed to strengthen security even further. Some of these include

• Automatic updates, which continuously ensure you have the latest version with the latest fixes and measures of protection.
• Auto-clean, which automatically removes viruses without the need for user intervention.
• Real-time scanning, which can detect malicious invasions quickly, giving you a chance to prevent potential widespread damage.
• Multiple app protection, which provides security to all of your services and apps.
• Role-based menu, showing the roles of all users so you can readily assign them access as needed.
• Application-level security, allowing you to control access to each app based on user or user roles.
• User privilege parameters, allowing you to set accessible features and security measures for individual users or roles.
• Single sign-on, allowing users to sign on once to gain access to all apps, functions, and areas for which they are authorized.
• Activity auditing, allowing your IT team to track system activity by seeing when users log in, log off, and the applications they used while connected.

Cases Where Lack of Security was Problematic

Cyber attacks can happen any time to companies of any size, with some of the most notable reported by CSO Online. 

Yahoo 

A security breach that hit Yahoo in 2013 compromised a total of 3 billion user accounts, giving thieves access to customer names, email addresses, passwords, dates of birth, and security questions and answers.

Another breach hit 2014, breaking through the system’s upgraded passwords. Yahoo had been in the midst of selling the company when it announced the attacks, and the breaches knocked $350 billion off the sale price.

Marriott International 

Cyber thieves were able to steal data on about 500 million customers after hackers were able to enter and remain in the system for four years until they were discovered in 2018. The breach occurred on the Starwood hotel brands system, which Marriott had purchased in 2016 while it was already compromised.

EBay 

The entire database of 145 million users was compromised when a cyber attack hit eBay in 2014. Hackers had access to names, dates of birth, addresses, and encrypted passwords. The breach occurred when attackers were able to enter the system using the credentials of three corporate employees, and then remain inside the system for 229 days.

Being aware of the importance of cyber security is good, but taking action to ensure you have the proper measures in place is even better. Make sure those measures include getting everyone in your company involved in keeping your organization protected and safe.