Ransomware attacks across the world jumped by 485% in 2020.
Cryptocurrency has made transferring funds to people across the globe easier than ever. Unfortunately, with that benefit also comes an incentive for cybercriminals to hold your data for ransom.
Fortunately, if you employ the right security measures, you will reduce the chances that someone will be able to infiltrate your IT system.
Here are some precautions that you can take to protect your business from cybercriminals and other wrongdoers.
Have a Security Plan
Every organization should have a system security plan (SSP) in place. An SSP provides an overview of security for your business’s entire system. This includes all of the controls that are in place, who has access to what, and each user’s responsibilities.
If you do not have an SSP, this should be your first step in protecting from cybercrime. You can start the process by collecting all of the existing IT security documents. Include any current policies or procedures.
Next, you should conduct interviews with all stakeholders to gather any information that is not already on paper. All documents and interview information should be assembled into one comprehensive security plan.
Your work isn’t done once a plan is created, however. Your security team then needs to follow it.
Train Employees
Security vulnerabilities often come from a lack of knowledge. One of the primary vulnerabilities for a ransomware attack is an employee who is unaware of proper security protocols.
Systems for large organizations have been brought down by a single employee who unknowingly clicked a malicious link. You can prevent this with training, however.
After training, testing employees on their knowledge can ensure they have an understanding of policies. While employee access to systems should be limited to only what they need to do their jobs, phishing emails can target anyone.
One of the primary training areas should be email safety. Taking the time to teach employees about identifying malicious emails can save time in the long run. It is much more difficult for a small business IT division to resolve an issue on the backend.
After training, you should also periodically test the abilities of employees. This can be accomplished by sending emails that look suspicious and then monitoring which employees click on links. This is the best way to keep them vigilant.
Require Password Policies
No one likes constantly changing passwords and trying to remember the latest password they created. Unfortunately, stringent password policies are a critical part of preventing hacking attempts.
The world recently saw its largest password leak in history, with 8.4 billion passwords exposed to cybercriminals. This serves as a strong reminder of why organizations must require strong passwords.
Ensure that your business has proper password policies in place to keep your data safe. Employees should be required to have complicated passwords that must be changed regularly. They should also not be able to recycle previous passwords.
Keep Software up to Date
It sometimes feels like your software is demanding new updates every day. But the updates are suggested to you for good reason. While some updates are intended to improve the user experience, many of them are to block potential security loopholes.
Word travels fast among cybercriminals. If you don’t close those loopholes by updating your software, you could be the victim of a hacking attack. While updates can be an annoyance, it is important to stay on top of them.
As part of your security plan, ensure you have an outline of all software that may need updates. Include who is responsible for implementing the updates as well.
Monitor Constantly
Updates are not the only thing that you need to keep an eye on. All of your systems should have antivirus and firewall technology installed. Be sure that intrusion detection is a part of this protective strategy.
Data breach technology, however, is useless if someone is not monitoring it. The sooner that a breach is detected, the better your chances are of fixing the issue. Monitoring is key.
Part of your SSP should include who is responsible for monitoring incoming breach notifications. It should also include a plan of action should a cybercriminal gain access to your system.
Get Some Help
Starting your own business and running it can be stressful. There are countless moving parts and adding on IT responsibilities can often be too much. It can even be too costly for your business to have its own security team if you are on a tight budget.
If you find yourself in this position, consider getting some outside help from the experts. Most businesses cannot afford to be victims of a ransomware attack. The cost of hiring help via external services is well worth the peace of mind.
Firms like Velocityit.net offer cybersecurity services to help you protect your business. If you’ve already fallen victim to an attack, they can help with ransomware removal as well. There’s no reason to try to go at it alone when a professional can help.
Stay Vigilant Against Cybercriminals
Cybercriminals will always be there trying to make a quick buck. While they will never go away, you can protect against ransomware and other hacking attempts if you stay vigilant.
With the right security practices, you can protect your system and your business.
Security isn’t the only thing you need to worry about as a business owner, however. Check out our other articles for tips. We’ll have your business running smoothly in no time!
