Cyber Attack Prevention Tips – Stop it from happening to your business.

 

CYBER SECURITY: ATTACK PREVENTION TIPS

 

From our previous article on types of Cyber Crime, we learned about attacks in the form of Malware, Viruses and Phishing Scams. We now know that these threats have been here for many years, however they are truly becoming a clear and present danger for businesses.

In particular, SME’s find that they do not possess the resources to tackle cyber crime whether it be through lack of skilled personnel or financial resources.

Many measures can be taken which reduce the likelihood of being breached. Here are some of our best cyber security prevention tips:

1. Passwords

Choose DIFFERENT and STRONG passwords. Use more than eight characters and mix in capital and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols where possible. A good example is pObc-KHFi=XMCz/?irXMYQFE55UjjbCQ – no, this is not the main password for iBrutes!

As passwords such as this are next to impossible to remember, try using a password protection system or manager. This will allow you to use long, unique passwords for every application, and they will then be encrypted and stored in a safe place on either your computer or phone for easy access. A good password manager program is a wise investment and extremely useful.

At the touch of a button the password is entered in the web site login page or program – no typing or remembering difficult passwords in the future. You just need one strong MASTER passphrase and you are set.

2. Information

Most sites attempt to gather as much information about you as they can for their own marketing purposes. Is this any benefit to you apart from your more personalised marketing experience? You may think you are helping when faced with a “Please help us complete our survey” message on a site, but remember to always be vigilant. However, thanks to the new GDPR rules, things have become a bit more transparent and we are always having to provide consent each time we enter a website, but are we reading the fine print? There are large fines for businesses who are not GDPR compliant and information is treated a lot more sensitively than it used to. Still, be aware what information you are providing and buttons you are consenting to. This goes for app downloads too.

3. Anti-virus and Anti-Malware Software

When choosing an effective anti-virus solution there are a vast array of options: AVG, Avast, Norton, McAfee, Bit Defender, Sophos and so on. It is essential that a user or business chooses an effective and efficient anti-virus system. If choosing the basic version, be sure to manually update and perform scans regularly.

Viruses and malware are being created on an industry level and while anti-virus companies are, by definition, always behind – they are not telepathic – they release protection for new threats rapidly.

4. Email

Most companies have dedicated centralised email programs, but Janice from Accounts may wish to check her Yahoo email 15 times during the day. Tell her: “Janice, NOOOOO!”.

Janice may attempt to claim her millions from the email sent to her by clicking on that link, and your business may end paying out a claim instead! Ensure that an email protection filtering system is in place so malicious email does not reach you or your employee. Most of all, be vigilent and aware and do not click anything without being sure of its source.

5. Firewalls

This is your first line of defence. It is a guard against malicious content entering the network or your computer. Make sure the firewall is configured well. Contact a trustworthy IT professional for advice on how to use your router’s firewall.

6. Safe Browsing

Think about the web sites you visit. For example, your employees may want enjoy some online shopping on their lunch hour, but they should – and you should – be cautious about what sites are being visited. A green lock symbol means that the site is secure and Google provides “Safe Browsing” that informs us of sites that are a potential threat. Warning signs should not be ignored.

7. Peer-to-Peer

Do not allow random downloading. This is should be policy as Peer-to-Peer downloading of software and media from torrents can hide malware and other nasty surprises.

In a business, such downloads can be traced back and if they are of copyrighted material the business itself may end up with big issues.

8. Back Ups

Back up ANYTHING that you think even slightly important. If something goes wrong and you are caught with your hands in your pockets, do not say you have not been warned!

A good backup process needs thought and a willingness to invest time and effort.

9. Data Encryption

Encryption software means that the data it protects can only be accessed by those with the correct key. If you retain important data that then is exposed or leaked, if it is correctly encrypted there’s a vastly reduced chance of the data being read by third parties.

10. External Devices

If you do not know contents of a drive, where it has been used, and by whom, it could be infected. Just inserting it into a USB socket on your computer you render your network susceptible to viruses.

There are approximately 200,000 pieces of malware being created every day. It is vital that you, your home computers and your business stay protected.

There is nothing to describe the feeling of dread when important information is lost, damaged or maliciously held to ransom, and such misfortune can completely ruin a business.

Cyber criminals exist, and they are no longer the “Stick ’em up!” style bandits of the past. These are cyber geeks of the most intelligent kind. They get in, and you don’t even know they were there.

So folks, you have been warned. Don’t get caught. Follow these Cyber Security Prevention tips for a SAFER BUSINESS