Our online working life means we can all work from anywhere, at any time, on a variety of devices. We can read and reply to urgent emails on our ‘ phones while travelling on the train to work. Catch up with video training on our tablet while we are drying the dishes. In these days of lockdown, of course, many of us are working from our ‘home office’, often with laptops and peripheral devices provided by our employer. The benefits of agile, mobile working are huge. Employees enjoy the freedom to work when and where is best for them and productivity is soaring.
This mobile working can make our employees, devices and our systems vulnerable to malicious cyber-attacks and other cyber security risks.
What does ‘Cyber Security’ mean for your business?
Cyber, or IT, security is the protection of information to prevent it from becoming compromised. Cybersecurity includes things like encrypting data, protecting your devices by installing antivirus software and using passwords to ensure no one else can access your account. Cybersecurity experts are experts in protecting the digital life of your business from other people who want to steal or misuse your data. Security measures should include a disaster recovery strategy.
Why cyber security matters
Many companies fail to implement IT security measures because they believe it is an unnecessary expense or that their business isn’t at risk. Cyber-attacks have been increasing for several years and cybercriminals are targeting businesses of all sizes and budgets which means your organization could be at risk. Cybersecurity should never be considered an optional expense. Cybercriminals are becoming increasingly sophisticated in their attacks which means organizations have to work harder to ensure their IT security measures are effective.
Cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting data but also the devices that store this data. Without effective IT security support, cybercriminals can ‘virtually’ steal hardware (they can take control of all, or part of the device, often without the owner being aware) and use it for malicious purposes such as installing malware to track your activity.
A major risk of falling victim to cyber-attacks is the reputation of your company if confidential data is stolen. If your company suffers downtime in the event of a cyber attack, then productivity will be impacted, too.
What should you do to improve cyber security?
Your IT security measures should include a range of different methods that aim to reduce the risk of unauthorized access, modification, or disruption. Immediate installation of security software and measures will be followed by ongoing training, preventative monitoring and administration tasks.
Secure Messaging
Robust messaging and email facilities mean your employees can remain in communication with each other and stay productive while maintaining IT security.
Data encryption
Cybersecurity uses techniques such as data encryption so sensitive information can only be accessed by authorized individuals.
Access Management and controls
Access control covers the issuing of UserIDs to authorised users only. Strong passwords are mandated, making them difficult to guess and multi-factor authentication becomes standard, often using two separate devices to log on to a system.
Antivirus measures/Firewalls
Anti-virus software monitors your employees’ online presence, Firewalls provide warnings of potential security risks and prevent access to known threats. Your IT team should ensure all of your software is current. Software patches often include security considerations and your software should always be at the latest version.
Training
Often overlooked, training all company employees can be the most effective cyber-security method!
Individuals using weak, easily guessable, passwords or even pinning passwords to their cubicle screens are a weak link in your cyber security chain. Training should include how to recognise and deal with malicious, or phishing, emails. Any devices (including personal laptops, ‘phones, tablets) used to access company systems must be subject to cyber-security measures.
Cyber security options with Starboard IT
At Starboard IT, we understand business requirements change constantly. We have flexible IT support, including IT security, options available for you, meaning you can scale up our cover as needed.
Starboard IT are the experts for all IT and IT security needs. From web and email to endpoint security, we can make sure you are cyber-safe and proactively ward off the risk of costly downtime. But don’t take our word for it; we’ve successfully implemented ISO27001 and PCI-DSS for multiple clients, which means we have the proven experience and know-how to successfully deal with the complexities of cyber threats.
With our track record in achieving the highest industry standards, you can trust Starboard IT’s expertise when it comes to keeping your business safe!
For more information
If you’re looking for consultancy services on your company’s security policy, contact Starboard IT to find out what we can do for you.
