Keeping Your Office IT Systems Safe
Everyone in the office is responsible for cybersecurity. Your company may avoid being the next victim of a cyber-attack by reminding your employees of some easy internet safety recommended practices. To learn how to keep your workplace safe online, increase your organization’s cybersecurity protection, and reduce risk, read the ideas below.
Keep It Locked
Modern workplaces are frequently dispersed over numerous sites and may include remote workers. Devices should be safely secured no matter where your office is during the day. Make sure employees understand the importance of keeping portable devices like computers and cell phones protected with a strong passcode at all times. There are numerous methods for creating secure passcodes. Some gadgets employ biometric scanners for authentication, while others use a PIN or matrix passcode. If you’re going to use a text password, make it different for each account.
Two Is Preferable To One
Employees should be required to use two-factor authentication for important applications and accounts. It’s a mixture of any two of the following, which is an excellent way to remember how it works:
- You have something (such as a randomly-generated code or ID badge)
- Something you’re doing (such as a fingerprint)
- Something you’re aware of (such as a password)
Beyond the traditional password, two-factor authentication adds an extra degree of security. Because attackers need access to not just your account password, but also your additional security mechanism to access the account, it reduces your likelihood of becoming a victim of a hack. Make certain that personnel who have access to sensitive networks or data are obliged to have it.
VPN Is The Way To Go
When conducting business outside of the corporate network, always use a VPN instead of Wi-Fi to secure your safety (Virtualized Personal Network). A VPN encrypts communication and functions as a secure tunnel over the internet. Employees can travel while depending on the defense controls at headquarters by deploying a VPN to your office’s secure network. Employees must be required to use a VPN to connect to a secure network; accessing public wi-fi networks can expose your company’s accounts and data to hostile actors or corrupted infrastructure.
Maintain Vigilance
Everyone in your firm, from the founder to the newest intern, must remember: if something appears suspect, it probably is! To induce the receiver to act, malicious actors will use urgent subject lines, billing-related attachments, and spoofed senders. Please pass along the following email and online browser hints: Always linger over a link before clicking to check you’re being sent to the proper URL, and never open or download attachments from unknown senders. Malspam (malware) and ransomware can be prevented by following these security best practices.
Education Is Essential
The cyber defenses of your company rely on a well-informed workforce that can use best practices to avoid threats. You’ll want to make sure your employees grasp cybersecurity fundamentals, from spotting a fraudulent email to understanding when to connect via VPNs. SANS Institute is a major cybersecurity training institute for professionals, with courses on a variety of issues. Employees are educated on topics like phishing, two-factor authentication, and more through their security awareness training programs. You should also make sure your IT department is trained in software testing and virus scanning.
These tips should help you to keep your IT systems safe in your office. Do you have any other tips that could help? Please share them in the comments below.