Cyber hygiene is the process of protecting your business from cyberattacks. While having a robust cybersecurity system in place is important, it can’t prevent every possible threat. That’s why you should also implement cyber hygiene best practices into your company’s culture.
What is Cyber Hygiene?
Cyber Hygiene is a set of best practices to protect your information and systems from cyber threats. By following these guidelines, you can reduce the likelihood of a breach or other security incident.
There are different components that are included in Cyber Hygiene, but most importantly, it includes educating employees on how to avoid phishing scams and spot suspicious emails and websites. It also involves monitoring for suspicious activity on your network or connected devices like laptops or mobile phones.
What are the benefits of Cyber Hygiene?
There are several benefits to implementing cyber hygiene.
- Improved security: A secure environment is a good place for business, but it also protects your customers and employees. Cyber Hygiene helps you implement measures to protect information from hackers or prevent data loss.
- Reduced costs: One of the biggest reasons businesses fail is due to the high cost of non-compliance. The right tools can help you keep costs down while improving productivity simultaneously.
- Improved reputation: To be able to compete in today’s market, it’s important that your company has a good online presence and reputation among consumers who are looking for products or services like yours.
- Greater employee productivity: When your employees have to deal with IT issues, it slows down their productivity. They could spend hours trying to fix a problem or waiting for help from the IT team. This can affect their performance and cause stress as well.
Cyber Hygiene Best Practices:
Establish strong password protocols
A strong password plays a crucial role in keeping your online accounts safe and secure. Creating a strong password will greatly reduce the chance of a data breach while also giving you peace of mind. On the other hand, a weak password puts you at a much greater risk of getting hacked
Use multi-factor authentication (MFA)
Two-factor authentication (2FA) offers improved login security. Rather than relying on a single factor, typically a password, to authenticate user identity, 2FA adds a second factor. This means hackers need to breach multiple points of vulnerability.
In one common 2FA implementation, the user enters their username and password as usual, but a single-use code is then sent by SMS to their registered mobile. The code can be sent to an app instead, to protect against SIM card hijacking or cloning.
Cybersecurity training
Leverage cybersecurity training to educate employees on identifying and reporting cyber threats.
Vulnerability testing
Perform vulnerability testing on your infrastructure and applications, including web browsers and mobile apps, to ensure they’re secure from hackers’ attacks.
Create Real-Time Data Backups
Cybercriminals will often try to hold your data hostage for ransom during a ransomware attack. However, creating data backups in real time is essential in keeping your information available on the cloud. These data backups can easily be accessed during a ransomware incident, as you don’t have to worry about giving in to these expensive demands.
Endpoint security
Implement end-to-end encryption for all sensitive information stored on laptops, desktops, mobile devices—and even email inboxes—to prevent data breaches caused by stolen devices or laptops containing sensitive client information and other personally identifiable data (PII). Be sure this extends into cloud environments as well!
A good endpoint security solution should include:
- An agent that runs on each device and communicates with a central management console;
- A database of known threats, vulnerabilities, and exploitations;
- A firewall to protect against unauthorized access from the internet or other networks
Incident response and management strategy
Having an incident response and management strategy in place will help you quickly respond to attacks and minimize damage caused by them. The strategy should include:
- A clear definition of what constitutes a security incident, including how it’s detected, reported, triaged, and investigated;
- An investigation plan that includes the necessary steps for retrieving evidence from affected systems;
- A plan for notifying customers whose data may have been exposed during an attack
Implement Encryption Programs
Encryption plays an essential role in keeping your data safe and out of the hands of cybercriminals. You can choose from a variety of encryption programs to protect your data, such as AxCrypt, BitLocker, or VeraCrypt. You will have the peace of mind to know that your information is always well-protected with the help of the latest encryption technology.
Utilize security monitoring
A security monitoring solution is another essential part of any cybersecurity strategy. It provides visibility and alerts on your network, allowing you to quickly detect and respond to attacks.
Implement Cyber Hygiene practices in your business with Cyber Sainik
Cyber Hygiene is a set of best practices to help protect your business from cyber threats. It helps you avoid data breaches, ransomware attacks, and other cyber threats that can lead to loss of information or money. Cyber Hygiene can also help you comply with regulations. Contact us for more information.
