Steps Individuals and Businesses Can Take to Enhance Their Cybersecurity.
National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is back this October for its 18th year to help educate and highlight the importance of cybersecurity. Spearheaded by the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), the continued overarching theme is Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart. By raising awareness through education, the initiative encourages individuals and organizations to take proactive steps to be safe online.
CEOs worldwide have claimed that cybercrime is the #1 risk that will affect companies in the future. The cleanup and sustained damage after a security breach are expensive. The loss of sensitive data and trust with customers can cause irreversible damage to an organization’s reputation.
- The average total cost of a data breach in 2020 was $3.86 million and took an average of 280 days to identify and contain. (IBM)
- 61% of data breaches used compromised credentials. (Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report)
- Phishing attacks account for more than 80 percent of reported security incidents. (Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report)
- Nearly two-thirds of companies have 1,000+ files open to every employee. (Varonis)
The good news is that there are many steps individuals and businesses can take to enhance their cybersecurity without requiring a significant investment or the help of information security professionals.
7 Tips to Share During Cybersecurity Awareness Month
- Double your login protection. Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA) for all accounts and devices to ensure that you are the only person who has access to your account.
- Shake up your password protocol. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidance, you should consider using the longest password or passphrase permissible.
- If you connect, you must protect. The best defense against viruses and malware is to update to the latest security software, web browser, and operating systems. Sign up for automatic updates, if you can, and protect your devices with anti-virus software.
- Play hard to get with strangers. Cybercriminals use phishing tactics, hoping to fool their victims. If you’re unsure who an email is from—even if the details appear accurate—or if the email looks’ phishy,’ do not respond and do not click on any links or attachments found in that email.
- Never click and tell. Limit what information you post on social media—from personal addresses to where you like to grab a coffee. Keep Social Security numbers, account numbers, and passwords private, as well as specific information about yourself, such as your full name, address, birthday, and even vacation plans.
- Keep tabs on your apps. Check your app permissions and use the “rule of least privilege” to delete what you don’t need or no longer use. Only download apps from trusted vendors and sources.
- Stay protected while connected. Only use sites that begin with “https://” when online shopping or banking. If you use an unsecured public access point, avoid sensitive activities (e.g., banking) that require passwords or credit cards.
As individuals or business leaders, we should all approach cybersecurity with care in owning, securing, and protecting all our online accounts and the sensitive information of our employees.
Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart
#CybersecurityAwarenessMonth
Take the Lead in Cybersecurity for Your Organization Today
Learn why successful HR leaders have trusted DynaFile as their secure employee file management solution for over 20 years.
Contact us today to see a demo or discuss further with a brief discovery call. We look forward to hearing from you!
