Securing your data used to refer to locking the file cabinet and using a desk safe. However, in today’s tech-filled world, cybersecurity is a bit more complex and a whole lot more important. After all, terabytes of sensitive information are constantly zooming around the Internet. Hackers are always lurking, hoping to steal identities, intercept payments, or simply cause chaos.
Fortunately, you can significantly reduce your risk by making just a few easy changes to your security habits and processes. In this post, we’ll discuss six simple yet powerful tactics to strengthen your cyber safety.
1. Controlling Data Access Privileges
Access control policies should clearly define the level of access different user roles have, such as read-only, read/write, and admin access. The baseline access levels refer to establishing normal or approved levels of access for privileged users like admins, taking into account what access they need to do their jobs.
By setting baselines, the system will know when a privileged user’s access deviates from the expected standard. Alert systems can then monitor access and flag any activity that exceeds a user’s defined baseline. For example, if an admin accesses files they don’t typically need.
2. Incorporating ML Outputs Into Access Management
Machine learning (ML) models can analyze attributes of data files/records, such as contents, metadata, and regulatory classifications, to identify sensitive data. The ML outputs can then be reviewed and incorporated into access management to help safeguard sensitive data assets.
Controlling access privileges is one of the best practices for minimizing the risk of shadow data that exists or is shared outside of an organization’s formal IT environment and management policies.
3. Use Robust Passwords and MFA
Passwords are critical for protecting access to devices and networks containing important business data. Strong passwords are easy for people to remember but hard for machines to decipher. A robust password should have at least 14 characters and combine uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols.
Implementing multi-factor authentication is one of the most effective security measures an organization can take. This method requires the user to provide two or more verification factors to access an account or application.
4. Conduct Risk Assessments
Working with an external third-party group to perform a full risk check can offer a helpful perspective on problems and threats. Risk analysis considers elements like technology setup, data importance, legal obligations, and staff behaviors.
5. Monitoring
It’s important to watch what people are doing, both inside and outside your company. Anyone who uses your systems, like employees or vendors, could cause security mistakes like data leaks. Monitoring workers and suppliers helps find suspicious actions early on, such as sharing confidential files with people they shouldn’t.
6. Employee Education
Employees are one of the biggest vulnerabilities. According to a 2023 survey, 70% of chief information security officers in the United States said the biggest cybersecurity risk came from their employees’ everyday errors. Various options exist for educating employees on security. The best training approach for an organization depends on factors like the type of workers, their locations, and available resources.
Endnote
Cybersecurity is not a single thing but an ongoing plan to keep your company covered against ever-evolving threats. By following these safety suggestions, you can greatly reduce your risk of online attacks and help ensure your business succeeds and stays safe long into the future.