9 Ways Your Company Can Avoid a Massive Cyber Attack in 2019

Cybersecurity attacks cost businesses over $1.3 million in 2017. That number is only set to rise in 2019. Though this is horrifying it’s also preventable. 

If you don’t want to become another statistic and then you need to make cybersecurity a priority.

With so many cybersecurity options how do you stop the next massive cyber attack? 

First, stay calm and then check out these tips to help secure your data.

1. Monitor Mobile Device Usage

When you let your employees use a mobile phone for work purposes you introduce a whole new level of threats to your company. 

A vital option to protect sensitive data is using a centrally controlled system. This means that if your devices are stolen or lost your IT team the option to wipe it remotely. 

You should also be performing regular audits on mobile devices to asses any security risks and depending on the user. For example, if you have an employee that travels they may be connecting to public Wi-Fi putting your data at risk.

These audits usually consist of a questionnaire given to each employee about phone usage.  

2. Watch Over Employees with Access to Sensitive Data

The threat is coming from inside the house.

When people list of types of cyber attacks one area that gets overlooked are employees or company personnel. Though most people deeply trust their staff and employees often present the greatest threat to security. 

For example, phishing scams can cost your company millions. They use your employee’s email account to gain access to your system and seal information.

This may seem obvious to avoid but many hackers have become more complicated. Hackers use personal information taken from social media to make these fake emails more convincing. 

To prevent these kinds of attacks provide employees with safety training and regularly check to make sure that they’re following proper protocols.

3. Get Web Filtering Technology to Prevent Massive Cyber Attacks

The best way to prevent a massive cyber attack is to stop threats before they gain access to your system.

These programs monitor any URLs coming to and from your computer and prevent any unwanted access. They help stop any malware from gaining access to your computer. 

They are often referred to as content control software and usually restrict what kinds of sites the user gains access to. You can set up either a blacklist or a whitelist.

A blacklist restricts access to certain sites based on parameters set up by the program. While whitelist allows access to certain sites based on a list created by the systems administrator. 

More advanced filters have the option of blocking information that you send out over the internet. This prevents you from sending out sensitive information.

4. Update as Often as Possible

Threats to your cybersecurity are always evolving. And your cybersecurity business needs to keep up.

This makes it important to take advantage of new software updates. Make sure that your applications and operating systems are up to date with different enhancements and patches for bugs.

5. Retire Any Services You Aren’t Using

When products with a limited duration expire or when you’ve stopped using them you should deactivate any account or delete any information associated with it. 

6. Use VPNs for Every Connection

If your company is expanding and has employees working in offices across the country then your going to need a way to safely share data. Enter a VPN.

A VPN or virtual private network allows you to disguise your IP address to prevent anyone from being able to see the information your sending to others.

These should be mandatory for any employee using mobile devices and for most people it’s an invaluable part of protecting their identity online.

There are also options for anonymous collaborations that will help keep your data safe from threats. This is called a virtual data room and they are the future of cybersecurity. They provide protection for all data from bidding information to contract terms.

7. Make Password Security a Priority

Most people hate changing their password and won’t do it unless the rules are strictly enforced. But this simple step can be one of the most important in keeping your data safe from a cyber attack today. 

Implementing programs like a mandatory password change every couple of months. As well as having strict rules for how complex passwords have to be can help prevent major treats from getting into your system.

You should also make things like 2-factor authentification a requirement for all employees.

8. Use Real-time Threat Detection 

These programs allow you to stop threats that are just starting to form. You can also monitor any weakness in your current system and repair them before they cause larger problems.

9. Have Regular Security Assessments

With security, it’s easy to set up a system and then forget about it until the next massive cyber attack. 

As your system changes, you become more vulnerable to new threats. You need to have a security plan in place and to schedule periodic assessments. You need to ask what is cybersecurity weakness and how can we fix it?

In fact, depending on the industry an assessment may be necessary to ensure you’re following government mandates. The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 requires regular system and cybersecurity audits. 

Want More Ways to Protect Your Company’s Data?

Preventing a massive cyber attack can be one of the smartest business decisions your company will make. But if you own a company there are a lot more steps to keeping your company safe.