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Cyber Security Essentials Checklist for Your Business

By December 3, 2020No Comments6 min read
Cyber Security Essentials Checklist

Cybersecurity has become the most important thing for modern businesses. It is very important to protect your data from attackers. Cybercriminals are becoming smarter with time. Thus, it is important to implement the best security protocols and controls. In this article, we are going to share the best security measures that will help you in protecting your business in 2021.

  1. Zero Trust Model

Zero Trust Model simply means that you should check every device that is connected with your network. You should never trust a new device. Most companies are already using zero trust security measures for protecting their network.

MFA or Multifactor Authentication is becoming very important with time. It is helping companies in ensuring that only their employees can access their data and applications. Most employees reuse their passwords. Thus, it is never a good idea to rely on passwords only.

You can send a OTP to your employee’s mobile or email. This will ensure that only your employees can access their accounts.

  1. Access Controls

Free access has become a thing of the past now. It is very important to define user roles now. You should grant roles and permission to your employees. Your interns don’t need access to your IT staff systems. You can segment your employees into different categories. Make sure that they have only access to the applications and data that they need.

  1. Stop malware and viruses

Most companies think that they can protect their system by software anti-virus programs and firewalls. These programs will help you in finding threats in your systems. However, this malware can already damage some files. Thus, you should also consider using a hardware firewall.

You should use a hardware firewall in 2021. Most companies don’t realize that they are only using a software firewall. You should check your IT closet and check if you have a hardware firewall. Make sure that you are using hardware firewalls for protecting your systems.

However, only firewalls won’t help you in protecting your system. You should ensure that your employees are not clicking on phishing emails. It is important to blacklist some websites. Also, you should use email filtering apps. These applications will help you in filtering your employee’s inbox. You should also train your employees about security threats. This will ensure that they won’t fall for phishing emails.

  1. Update your systems

If you are not updating your systems, then even a script kiddie can hack into your network. Security updates are not going to improve their application. These updates are actually going to protect your applications from zero-day threats. Attackers can use these zero-day threats for bypassing your security controls. Thus, you should ensure that all your systems are updated. Hackers can use unpatched vulnerabilities for attacking your systems. They can use these vulnerabilities for bypassing your security and installing malware in your system. Thus, make sure that you are always updating your systems.

  1. Data Backups

Every modern business should have access to secure and comprehensive daily backups. You should properly test and configure your data backups. This will help you in protecting your business from natural disasters and ransomware. If you can use your backup to recover your data, then you don’t need to pay any ransom to attackers.

However, you should ensure that your backup provider is providing multiple iterations. You should configure your backup solution for maximum benefits.

  1. Data Encryption

Most companies already need to follow strict government regulations like HIPAA and PCI DSS compliance. Thus, data encryption is compulsory for those companies. Data encryption will ensure that you don’t need to worry about stolen devices. Encryption will ensure that attackers can’t check your data even after stealing it. Thus, data encryption is a good idea for every modern business.

  1. Strong passwords

Make sure that your employees are only using strong passwords. Sometimes employees can reuse their passwords on different platforms. This ensures that they don’t need to remember multiple passwords. You can use a password manager for ensuring that your employees are using strong passwords.

There are many password managers available in the market which will help your employees in generating passwords. Thus, it is impossible to guess these passwords. Also, your employees don’t need to remember these passwords. These services will provide secure applications to your employees. Thus, your employees can directly check their passwords from their mobile devices.

  1. Screenlocks

Screen locks are becoming more popular with time. Most companies are still not using an automatic screen lock timeout feature. This security measure can help you in protecting your systems from attackers. Some companies think that this feature is only useful if you are working in a public area. However, it can also protect your data from insider threats. Sometimes people can gain access to your employee’s computer. Thus, they might get access to your sensitive data. Screenlock will ensure that your employees need to enter their password every time they unlock their device. This will help you in protecting your data from insider threats. Thus, you should consider using a screen lock security solution.

Conclusion

These are some security procedures and policies that can help you in protecting your business. It is a good time to re-evaluate your security measures. Many companies were hit by cyberattacks in 2020. Thus, you should ensure that your business is protected from these attacks in 2021. These security measures will protect your business from both insider and outsider threats. Thus, these security measures are becoming a necessity with time. However, many companies don’t have access to a good IT security team. Thus, it is very difficult to implement these security controls properly. If you don’t have access to a good IT security team, then you should consider working with an MSP. Experienced MSPs like Bleuwire can help you in protecting your business from attackers. They will help you in implementing the best security controls available in the market. This will ensure that your business is protected from cyber-attacks in 2021. If you need more information regarding IT security services, then you can contact Bleuwire.

Contact us today to learn about Bleuwire™  services and solutions in how we can help your business.