The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has been a major cause of worry for businesses around the world. Some have shut shop, others have scaled down operations, and the impact is likely to be very devastating for the global economy. Hackers and cybercriminals, however, are thriving, as more employees work from home. Businesses, for instance, are not paying enough attention to on-premise security, which can be a grave mistake, considering the overall situation. When it comes to addressing a cyber security concern, being proactive is the only way forward. This this post, we are sharing steps that businesses must consider.
- Define WFH rules. From using secure Wi-Fi networks and VPNs, to securing work devices, every step goes a long way in ensuring cybersecurity, especially when you don’t have a choice but to allow WFH. Ask employees to use encrypted drives and secure devices, and all devices must be placed behind firewalls.
- Do the basics. Are you updating all at-office software and firmware to the latest versions? Are your employees using strong passwords? Are they using a password manager? Do you have a plan for network testing on a regular basis? Do you have employee training programs from time to time? Are you using network segmentation, where needed? These are some of the basic questions that must be answered.
- Access right management. Limiting access rights to user data is critical for data safety. Data encryption, the need to protect consumer data are aspects that must be detailed on paper. Make sure that your company has a clear and transparent system for access right management.
- Focusing on collaboration. If you really want cybersecurity to work, you need to focus on collaboration within the organization. Bring down the departmental silos and make cyber threats a concern for everyone involved. This just ensures that people are aware of their role in security and wouldn’t make silly mistakes.
- Get help. Sometimes, it is hard to find security flaws and vulnerabilities, despite testing and network scans. For such situations, hiring a team of ethical hackers can boost your cybersecurity measures. You can also consider running a bug bounty program, where ethical hackers get paid if they find issues within the security perimeters.
Final word
Don’t shy away from discussing cybersecurity within the company and beyond, and learn from the market. It makes sense to avoid the mistakes that other businesses have made in recent times. Not to forget, create a clear cybersecurity policy to avoid compliance issues.
