Cyber attacks are the bane of the IT sphere. Contemporary businesses deal with tons of private information. This is the employee’s personal data, customers’ resources, and confidential working files. Current tendencies to work from home made all these materials susceptible to online attacks.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, many businesses have suffered from data breaches. Both internal corporate data and customer data were compromised.
In everyday life, you can also become a victim of such an attack. For example, if you‘re not careful while googling information for your studies. This is why it is safest to choose the best paper writer at WritePaper to do the research for you. It will make your studies better and this will decrease the chances of being affected by a cyber attack. So it is highly important to choose a reliable website. Below there are more ways to detect vulnerabilities in time. Even better is if preventive measures are ensured.
Evolution of the Threat
Just 20 years ago, simple malicious codes and viruses were the most common threats in IT. To protect against standard cyber attacks, installing an antivirus program was enough.
With the development of IT, attacks on companies’ IT systems have become much more complex. Now they require the use of integrated security measures. This post explains how to protect businesses from cyber attacks.
The threat of cyber attacks is threateningly real and close. This relates even to those types of businesses that do not conduct their business directly on the web. Not only businesses but also regular people can suffer from cyber attacks.
Cyber Pandemic
The whole world is thinking about the systemic threats of the coronavirus. And cybercriminals also want to take advantage of the crisis by launching their own viruses. More and more people are working remotely. The threat develops as the virtual security people have at home is majorly lacking.
For this reason, both employees and employers must be very careful to protect sensitive company information. Here’s what to do and remember to keep risk to a minimum.
Security Tips for Employees
- Everyone should watch out for phishing even more than before. Cybercriminals love crises. Employees can get phishing emails with instructions from a “boss” who works from home. These actually hide malware that can threaten the devices and corporate network.
Email scams have increased significantly in the last year. Criminals hack into Gmail accounts with phishing emails. Then they send out fraudulent documents supposedly from real co-workers.
To avoid this, each person should ensure they use multi-factor authentication on all accounts available to them. This can save them from almost all but the most sophisticated hackers.
- Every worker should follow cyber hygiene practices. That means installing anti-viruses on all their devices. This includes using proper routers, updating them regularly, and connecting to reliable networks.
They should also avoid the temptation to use Bluetooth in public places since hackers can easily connect to their gadgets through it. Employees have to follow company guidelines for device and Internet use.
- They should connect only to trusted, password-protected networks. If they have to use a public one, the employees should check with its owner to make sure that the network actually belongs to them.
Besides, they should not expose sensitive or important information using public WiFi. Hackers name their networks similar to the trusted ones. Every worker has to be careful and make sure they connect to the right WiFi. The mistake can lead to the cybercriminals accessing and stealing confidential information.
- Employees should report lost or stolen devices immediately. Remote operation increases the risk of lost or stolen devices. If this happens, they should be sure to report it to the company security department immediately to minimize the risk of hacking.
Security Tips for Employers
- Employers have to set up remote access as early as possible. If there are employees who need remote access, companies should set it up while the office is still open.
It will be difficult to pass multi-factor authentication tokens outside of the office. Employees who are transitioning to remote work for the first time must come back with their devices. Installing the same software for everyone without physical access to their computers.
- Confidential information remains confidential. Companies should remind employees that confidential information should be treated with the same care as in the office.
For example, they can’t use personal email for work-related matters and need to keep track of printed documents. If a document would go to the shredder in the office, they should get rid of it the same way at home or not print it at all.
- Employers should remind their employers not to use personal computers for work. Also, they need to encourage them to use company devices only. Any concerns should be referred to security personnel. Personal devices create problems with document storage and increase the risk of successful attacks. They may also have software installed on them that is several months or even years out of date.
- Companies have to update their emergency contact list. They should have an additional way to reach every employee beyond the company’s primary communication channel. So even if a company falls victim to a hacker program, cryptographer, or DDoS, they’ll still keep in contact with their employees.
Employers should create a secure messenger chat for key employees or top managers. Even if systems fail and email is unavailable, executives can communicate with each other without fear of being intercepted by cybercriminals.
Wrapping Up
Today the means of remote access are much more advanced than 10 years ago. So working from home is possible for everyone. But remote access is only as reliable as its weakest link. By getting the technology right and training employees remote work will be safe and secure.
Also, companies should remember that a comprehensive approach to information security must be in place. This will allow them to withstand modern cyber attacks, avoid serious financial losses, and survive reputational risks. The efforts to combat any attacks must come from the head of the company but be supported by all employees.