As we celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, it’s the perfect time for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in Northeast Ohio to refocus on protecting their valuable digital assets. This year’s theme, “Secure Our World,” reminds us that simple, daily practices can significantly enhance our cybersecurity posture.
In an era where cyber threats are increasingly sophisticated, it’s crucial for businesses of all sizes to prioritize cybersecurity. This blog post will explore five essential daily steps that can help strengthen your business’s defenses against potential cyber-attacks.
1. Use a Password Manager
Passwords are often the first line of defense against unauthorized access to your business accounts and sensitive information. Yet many of us still use weak, easily guessable passwords, or reuse the same password across multiple accounts.
By incorporating a password manager into your daily workflow, you’ll significantly reduce the risk of password-related breaches while simplifying the process of managing multiple accounts.
When creating a new account for a business tool or service, you can use the password manager to generate a strong, unique password. The password manager will securely store this information, allowing you and your team to access it when needed, without compromising security.
2. Switch On Multifactor Authentication (MFA)
Multifactor authentication adds an extra layer of security to your accounts by requiring two or more verification factors to gain access. Even if a hacker manages to obtain (or guess) your password, they won’t be able to access your account without the additional authentication factor.
When logging into your company’s CRM system or email account, you’ll enter your password as usual. Then, you’ll be prompted to enter a code sent to your smartphone or use a biometric factor like your fingerprint.
Common MFA methods include:
1. Something you know (password)
2. Something you have (smartphone or security key)
3. Something you are (fingerprint or facial recognition)
Implementing MFA across all your business accounts may seem time-consuming initially, but the long-term benefits far outweigh the minor inconvenience. Those few extra seconds could save you hours recovering from unauthorized access, so make it a priority to enable MFA on all critical business accounts, and encourage your employees to do the same.
3. Be Alert to Phishing Attempts
Picture this: one afternoon, you receive a message that appears to be from your IT department, prompting you to enter your login information for a password reset. The only problem is, you didn’t request a password reset.
Instead of clicking any links or downloading attachments when you encounter a suspicious email or message, take a moment to scrutinize for phishing indicators. Keep an eye out for:
· Urgent or threatening language
· Requests for sensitive information
· Unexpected attachments or links
· Slight misspellings in email addresses or website URLs
· Generic greetings or signatures
If you spot a red flag, report it to your IT department or designated cybersecurity point of contact.
Phishing remains one of the most prevalent and successful cyber-attack methods, so it’s something your team will likely encounter on a semi-regular basis. Even with anti-spam filters in place, more sophisticated attacks could slip through. That’s why it’s so important to regularly educate your team about the latest phishing techniques, and conduct simulated exercises to improve your organization’s ability to recognize and report these threats.
4. Update Software
Software updates are easily dismissed, but they often include critical security patches that address known vulnerabilities. Neglecting these updates leaves your systems exposed to potential exploits by cybercriminals.
At the end of each workday, make it a habit to check for any pending updates on your devices. If updates are available, initiate the process before leaving the office. This ensures that your systems are protected with the latest security patches when you return to work the next day.
Get in the habit of following best practices for software updates, such as:
· Enabling automatic updates whenever possible
· Regularly checking for updates on devices and applications that don’t offer automatic updates
· Creating a schedule for updating less frequently used software
· Maintaining an inventory of all software and devices used in your business
By prioritizing software updates in your daily routine, you’re continuously strengthening your business’s cybersecurity defenses against evolving threats.
5. Maintain Proper Backup Procedures
While not explicitly mentioned in the Cybersecurity Awareness Month focus areas (which focus more or general cyber safety), implementing and maintaining robust backup practices is especially crucial for protecting business data and ensuring continuity in the event of a cyber incident.
An effective backup strategy consists of:
· Regular, automated backups of all critical data
· Offsite or cloud storage for backups
· Encryption of backup data
· Regular testing of backup and restoration procedures
Before ending your workday, verify that your automated backup systems have run successfully. If your business uses a manual backup process, ensure that all essential data has been backed up according to your established procedures.
When you make backup verification part of your daily routine, you gain reassurance that as well as being safeguarded, your business data is primed for rapid recovery should you ever need it.
Take Steps Each Day to Secure Your Business
Although Cybersecurity Awareness Month ends on October 31st, securing our digital world is an ongoing process. By incorporating these five daily cybersecurity steps into your workflows, you’re taking significant strides towards a stronger, more resilient organization.
For SMBs in Northeast Ohio, the threat landscape may seem daunting, but these simple yet effective practices can dramatically improve your cybersecurity posture. Start implementing these steps today, and make every month a cybersecurity awareness month for your business.
Beskar Systems: Caring for Your Tech, and Your People
At Beskar, we’re passionate about making tech work for people. Trusted by businesses, government and non-profits alike, we’ve made our name forging personalized ironclad, high-performance technology solutions for businesses in Ohio and beyond.
We offer a holistic set of solutions compared to most managed IT service providers. As such, we’re adept technology integrators and strategic advisors, able to support a range of IT environments and empower organizational success. Whether you’re looking for small or long-term IT projects, we’re here to help every step of the way! To find out more about our services, get in touch.