According to a recent report, 4.5 billion data records were breached in 2018 alone, and the number could potentially rise in 2019 and beyond.
With cyberattacks becoming the norm, companies must attempt to defend their network, data and devices from a potential cyberattack, which could otherwise lead to reputational, legal and financial repercussions.
If you want to decrease your enterprise’s vulnerability, read the following advice on how to defend against a cyberattack.
Implement a Cybersecurity Policy
As cybercriminals don’t discriminate when embarking on a cyberattack, you would be smart to devise and implement a cybersecurity policy It should outline the actions your employees must avoid when using a network or device, such as:
- Clicking on unexpected email links or attachments
- Sharing sensitive data across unsecured networks
- Using weak passwords
Learn: How to set strong password.
Develop Robust Hardware Designs
If your organization is responsible for the design and development of various forms of hardware, you must take the steps to eradicate any design flaws in an innovative printed circuit design, as cybersecurity must be a key design consideration. As a result, you can prevent a vulnerability in a piece of hardware, which a hacker might otherwise wish to manipulate for their own gain.
Install Updates
Many people make the big mistake of ignoring essential updates to their operating systems or applications. Yet it is crucial you do not avoid the updates, as they will feature security patches introduced to protect your device and data. By ignoring the latest security patches, you are more likely to fall vulnerable to a data breach. You also must instruct your employees to regularly update their systems and software, no matter how time consuming it might be.
Data Encryption
Every company will possess sensitive data they will want to protect, which can range from their consumer data, tax records, financial information, or trade secrets. Rather than allowing them to fall into a cybercriminal’s hands, you should utilize data encryption to successfully secure your critical files. It is also vital to regularly backup your data, such as on an external hard drive or in the cloud.
Understand Your Partners’ Security Processes
As you might need to regularly share your consumers’ data with your partners or suppliers, you must gain an in-depth understanding of their internal security processes to ensure the information is protected. For example, you must request to learn more about the security systems they have in place before trusting them with any critical data.
What’s more, you must research a prospective business partner to ensure they do not have any unscrupulous intentions. Otherwise, you could make a similar mistake to Facebook, as the social media network granted an app creator with access to their 87 million users’ personal data.
Conclusion
No business can afford to ignore cybersecurity. With threats mounting year on year, and many organizations falling victim to an attack, it might not be too long until you experience a data breach, which could destroy your finances and reputation. It is, therefore, vital to identify the best security solutions for your company to defend your enterprise against a potential hacking.
