In the last decade, the malicious acts of cybercriminals have become one of the biggest risks to any business that has online IT services or infrastructure. No business is completely protected against cyber attacks. Recent breaches at leading companies such as Sony, Apple, Meta, and Twitter prove that even the largest organizations with sophisticated IT security are not immune from cybercrime. Thousands of attempted cyber attacks take place every day, and the effects of a successful attack on businesses can be devastating.
Time and money are needed to repair infected systems, and many firms suffer a loss of public confidence after an attack, which can affect their brand image. Thankfully, businesses in all sectors can take some simple steps to improve their cybersecurity. Companies like corodata.com can offer an extra layer of protection with backups and offsite storage for businesses.
But also, the following examples apply to a wide range of companies across the broader economy about ways to improve cybersecurity.
Educate your workforce
Firstly, it is vitally important to consider that your workforce can often be the first line of defense against cybercrime. Staff that are aware of basic IT security concepts (such as how to spot malicious emails, and the importance of using a VPN when accessing unsecured public networks) will be more vigilant and prepared for acts of cybercrime, being able to spot phishing attempts or potential malware attachments. Businesses should ensure that all new starters receive basic IT security training as part of their onboarding process. This knowledge should be kept up to date by rolling out cybersecurity training programs as part of an annual mandatory training package.
Manage and monitor your cloud-based assets
In 2023 it is estimated that approximately 94% of all businesses use some form of cloud-based services to run their operations. These can be used to support remote or hybrid models of staff working, running business websites, and controlling e-commerce activities. Millions of firms now rely on such online IT architecture to allow them to function. However, all companies must invest in a high-performing API analytics platform to support these cloud systems.
This platform can provide key insights into the traffic flow between various applications and highlight access requests that appear malicious. Along with creating secure API gateways (to ensure that there are no weak points in the cloud architecture that provide an easy access route for hackers) API analytics platforms can provide real-time business intelligence that is vital in the ongoing battle against cybercrime.
Invest in a password management platform
Even in modern business, millions of employees still use weak passwords when logging on to company systems. Cyber criminals can easily guess these passwords, or relatively unsophisticated software can be used to “crack” them quickly. Companies can remove this threat to their systems by investing in a secure password management system. This software automatically creates extremely strong passwords for staff, which would be exceptionally difficult to guess or crack.
The staff members do not need to remember these complex passwords, commonly using a master password to log in to the application. The high levels of encryption that come as standard with this type of software add an extra layer of protection against cybercrime. Put simply, all companies that want to minimize the risk of data breaches through weak passwords should invest in a robust password manager platform.
