13 January | Author: Jasleen Kaur | Category: Research
As you usher in a new year, you may find there already are thousands who are rooting for you. More specifically, your data.
Cybersecurity garnered plenty of attention last year with high-profile breaches, large enterprises falling victim to malware attacks, and emerging trends of ransomware as a service (RaaS). While we continue to run on the hamster wheel of below-average security practices, malicious players are reinventing the wheel with clever attack variations that sneak up when you least expect them. And companies pay a heavy price, of cost and reputation. According to IBM Security report, the average total cost of a breach increased by 10% in 2021. That is not an increase any of us wished for.
This year, instead of having to find out the hard way, set practical resolutions and ensure you walk into a cyber-secure 2022 that you rightfully deserve – even if it means going back to the basics.
Institute and maintain a robust security regime
Having a comprehensive, well-thought-out, and tight security policy for the entire company shouldn’t be taken for granted. It should chalk out and be a charter of actionable, traceable security. Because each organisation is unique in size, structure, and capacity, the security policy should be just as unique to best meet its demands, instead of a one-size-fits-all approach. Role models for implementation and abidance should easily come forward from within the company and if that’s not the case, schedule necessary huddles to get the motivation running. It is equally important to pay attention to countermeasures with authorised oversight to ensure the company’s security well-being which will be easier with a well-defined security policy. Iterate as you go but have a well-laid out security policy to begin with.
Take advantage of your strongest suit, your people
Engaging your workforce, teams, managers, support staff will bolster your policy and be key in your fight against cyber-crime. It has become more common for employees to be tricked into or inadvertently perform tasks that put the company and its data at risk. Educate employees into using stronger passwords to help mitigate these risks. According to the IBM security report, compromised credentials caused 20% of breaches in 2021. This trend is a desperate cry for help that must be heard loud and clear. Companies can create strength through simple security education like enforcing stronger passwords, especially when sharing across teams, to act as a stopper, not as a filter to accidental exposures.
Be serious about data protection and privacy
Adhering to data privacy regulations was never a half-baked claim meant to adorn any privacy policy. 2022 is predicted to be the year of data sovereignty cloud. Today, companies can store data in the cloud untethered by location spanning across geographic regions. This raises questions of data sovereignty. Customers are now even more informed, aware, and cautious of how their personal data is used. If your company claims to respect user rights, then owning up to this all the way is the only way. A self-hosted security solution like Password Secure gives users the ownership of their data, which can be stored on-prem, in the cloud, or both. The choice is yours. Promising, implementing, and standing by privacy regulations like GDPR has become more important than ever. Make sure your company doesn’t fall behind.
Smarten your approach to changing risk landscapes
Going head-on with the ever-changing nature of cyber threats means being vigilant for the unknown and well-prepared for the unexpected. This requires companies to implement an adaptive and versatile security approach. While threats are changing, your security stamina needs to keep pace. Adopting a trustworthy security solution like a password manager can safeguard your most valued asset – data. Going a step further, adding a two-factor authentication can double up security on your business accounts, websites, and apps. Choose a trustworthy, experienced password manager that can store, secure, and ensure data never falls into the wrong hands.
Skill-up your staff on evolving cyber threats
With threats, motives and approaches changing their course faster than organisations can catch up, gaps in security education can prove to be catastrophic. A study conducted by (ISC)2 shows that more than half of corporations expect a greater risk for cyber-attacks due to staffing challenges due to the cybersecurity skills gap. Conducting regular security training to spread awareness and knowledge of new attacks paired with cyber certification courses can help reduce misinformation and curb threats to a large extent.
Don’t be afraid to outsource your IT security
If your company is smaller and having all the nuts and bolts of a full-fledged IT department is daunting. Questions of resources, capital, assurance all swivel faster than you have time to answer them. In such a case, heading to the Managed Service Provider (MSP) way can be your best option. With the expertise and know-how of a professional, your security needs can be easily fulfilled without having to over-burden your company. Learn how your organisation can benefit from MSPs to reap the advantages of a reliable partner that takes care of the security services best tailored to your company.
Threat actors today are more organised, more coordinated than they have ever been. It’s become easier for them to find loopholes in the existing architecture and with more chances of them exploiting vulnerabilities. Augmenting your approach to cybersecurity is the only way to protect your workforce, systems, and networks proactively. Instead of looking at cybersecurity as a wall for the company, lay down robust security fundamentals to make a strong foundation. It’s time for a change in thinking that begins with setting security resolutions. Are you ready?
Learn more about how you can implement a healthy password regimen, right from January!
MATESO wishes you a prosperous and cyber-secure 2022!