A business today can’t survive without its IT network. It’s how you keep in touch with customers, employees, partners, and vendors—but it also makes you vulnerable to attack from bad actors looking for ways into your company information or stealing valuable data on the spot.
Protecting your business against cyberattacks and fraud is of utmost importance. A secure network protects the sensitive data that flows through it. It helps protect you from potential harm by malicious activity – costing nothing more than time spent on prevention efforts to avoid costly losses such as money or reputation!
Create a Comprehensive Cybersecurity Strategy
To be prepared for the inevitable attack, establish a cybersecurity policy that will keep your organization safe and sound.
To be most effective, your company’s policy needs to reach all employees and make them aware of its principles. The following are some key points you should cover in this document:
- Our organization’s cybersecurity program aims to ensure that only authorized users have access to and can see your data.
- The organization will implement a multi-layered security framework to protect its assets, including physical and virtualization barriers.
Implement Training Programs for Security Awareness
Your security training program can be customized to fit your company’s needs and goals. We’ve put together some suggestions on how you could tailor yours for it to become an effective, worthwhile investment.
Suppose you have several staff members or remote workers working across different locations. In that case, it is beneficial for them to use more general tips like how to stay safe online and identify phishing emails so that these individuals know what not to engage in while on their own time outside work hours! Programs that promote security awareness are a great way to safeguard your employees. from the ever-growing risks they face.
Perform Regular Network Penetration Tests
Penetration tests are essential to any company’s IT security. They help identify vulnerabilities and ensure that your networks remain secure by conducting periodic testing. This helps keep you up-to-date with what is happening in cybercrime and protects against future risks before they become major problems for the business.
Networks can be vulnerable because of old technology or outdated configurations, so regular penetration tests will uncover these flaws allowing IT staff time to make necessary updates to ensure protection.
There are many ways to keep your network secure, but knowing which areas need attention can take time and effort. One way you might consider is performing a penetration test every month or so – this will help identify any vulnerabilities in the system quickly and easily.
Ensure All Systems Are Routinely Patched
Systems should be patched to avoid risks of security breaches. Suppose you need to keep your systems up-to-date. In that case, there is a good chance that they will become vulnerable and susceptible to attack by hackers who want access or control over them to use their capabilities against whoever has possession at any given time–you.
Updating your system is crucial to staying protected from attacks.
A well-maintained PC or laptop will prevent unwanted software installation and also help protect against cyber threats like ransomware by ensuring that outdated security updates have been removed from the device.
Keep Passwords Secure
With new threats emerging daily, you must maintain strong passwords for network devices. If an attacker gains access to your system via an insecure password, they could cause costly damage or loss of critical information.
It is important to use different passwords for each account in your network. This makes it more difficult for attackers and gives them no advantage when trying to access one system as opposed to many other vulnerable ones that may exist within the same structure, thus protecting you from becoming victims ourselves.
Changing your password regularly and using it sparingly on different accounts is important. If the passwords are reused, they should be at least 15 characters long with complex numbers or letters for it to become more difficult for hackers to attempt an attack against one of our online services.
The common practice of using the same password on multiple systems makes users vulnerable to attack. It is easy for hackers who access one account with that information also to have access elsewhere.
For more information about protecting your IT network and mitigating risk, Contact Metro Sales Inc. today. Our IT experts will review your network, workflow requirements, and budget to match you with a solution that suits your needs.