Cyber Security: Keep One Step Ahead
As technology continues to progress, hackers become more sophisticated and the threat of a cyber-attack increases, so you need to take measures to ensure your company’s, employees’, and clients’ information remains secure.
“In the annual PwC, CIO, and CSO survey of more than 9,600 global executives, 41 percent of US respondents had experienced one or more security incidents during the past year. And that number is rising. Respondents reported financial losses, intellectual property theft, reputational damage, fraud, and legal exposure, among other effects.”
-Cybersecurity: The new business priority
We all know that those in charge of a company’s data security are generally the Chief Information/Technology Officer (CIO/CTO), or the Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), as well as their teams. Unfortunately though, you may not know exactly what is happening until it is too late.
As the leader, you should be getting weekly reports from your Chiefs of security in order to stay informed. That is why it is important to be educated on how your company protects itself and is kept up to date on the latest innovations in cyber security. This way you can become a mentor to your security teams, and propose new ways to better meet your company’s security needs.
How Do You Respond to a Cyber Attack?
If your company’s security has been breached, the first thing you should do – aside from not panicking – is to get your security teams moving. Follow your company’s security procedures in case there is a cyber breach. Most importantly, if you don’t have one then you need to get one in place as soon as possible. You should also have your security team do a full analysis on your systems to find out what data was affected and if any information has been compromised.
Depending on what your security team discovers determines your next move. If data was corrupted, this can be fixed with a backup or system restore. Though, if sensitive information is compromised, then you have a true crisis on your hands..
Again, don’t panic. The first phone call you should make is to your legal department. Like you, they are professionals, and are well versed in which authorities to contact and how to handle sensitive situations like this. Make sure to follow your legal team’s specific instructions.
What is at Risk?
When it comes to technology, any device – along with the data on it – that is connected to the internet is at risk. Your cell phone, especially a smart phone, is a great thing to have around. Hackers think so too. A hacker can gather your personal information, and if your phone is connected to your company’s system, they can have direct access to the servers. There are a number of antivirus programs you can choose from for your phone, but it would be best to use the same one you use for your company. Another thing to consider is firewall protection. Certain firewalls, even for cell phones, can offer more protection than some antivirus programs. Do your research and find out which security measure is best suited for your company.
Anything you store on your company’s systems, from simple data to credit information and more is at risk of being compromised.
Things to Consider
Through our research, we have formulated a checklist of things to consider in helping you ensure your company’s information remains secure.
- ANTIVIRUS/ANTIMALWARE/ANTISPYWARE PROGRAMS
- EDUCATING EMPLOYEES & YOURSELF
- HAVING EMPLOYEES READ & SIGN SECURITY POLICIES
- FIREWALLS
- CYBER SECURITY POLICIES & PROCEDURES
- MOBILE DEVICE MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE
- OPERATING SYSTEM PATCHING PROCEDURES
- COMMON APPLICATION & LINE OF BUSINESS PATCHING PROCEDURES
- DATA ENCRYPTION
Remember the adage; it’s not a matter of if something will happen, but when. If you take the necessary steps, keep you and your security teams educated on the latest innovations in cyber security, you are going to have the best possible chance of remaining a step ahead of security breaches.
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Reference Citations:
The Most Common Mistakes These 27 Cyber Security Experts Wish You’d Stop Doing
Top 5 Cybersecurity Mistakes Companies Make and How to Avoid Them
12 Common Cybersecurity Mistakes and How to Help Avoid Them
