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Providing your employees with ongoing cyber security training to be able to recognize cyberthreats and know what to do when they see one can help to save your company from attacks that cause serious damage to your business, your employees, and your clients. In today’s digital age, it is crucial for your employees to be aware of the ways cybercriminals take advantage of vulnerabilities in your computer network.
Comprehensive training for new hires and ongoing training courses for current employees will help to protect your organization’s most important and private information. Anyone who touches a computer that is connected to your network needs to be educated on the most common security threats and the steps to be taken to avoid them.
If you’re curious about your cyber security knowledge not only as a business owner, but as a computer user, please take our cyber security quiz to find out if you’d be an easy catch for a cybercriminal.
Your computer system is only as secure as the weakest link in your business network. One mistake from a single employee can lead to a costly cyberattack that can threaten the privacy of your data and the stability of your business. The only way your newest or least technically savvy employee can prevent cybercrime is if they understand what it is and how it works. If they are able to identify vulnerabilities and know what to do when they see it, they will be able to cut off criminal attempts to access your network.
Operating computers safely and securely should be the standard operating procedure for all of your employees. Ongoing training, education, and awareness efforts are key to preventing hacks to your network. Make cyber security part of your business culture.
The most important element of your employee cyber security plan is that everyone is on the same page and following the same protocols and guidelines. It is each employees’ responsibility to follow the policies and standards the company puts forth to help keep everyone’s information secure. Comprehensive training and refresher courses will help to reduce the risks of your network being hacked.
The following steps will keep your cyber security efforts on track and help protect your network from cybercrimes that do substantial damage to your business operations.
1. Continuous Education
It takes more than an introductory course in cyber security for new employees to keep your network protected from criminal activity. Continuous education training for all employees will help to keep safety measures foremost in their minds and make it second nature to implement cyber security measures.
Those who wish to harm your company by infiltrating your computer systems are constantly looking for new ways to get to your data. That means you and your employees need to work even harder to prevent access. New measures and procedures will need to be implemented on a regular basis to make sure you are completely protected at all times.
2. Simulated Phishing
The majority of computer security breaches occur when an employee responds to a fake email that is presented as legitimate. Fraudulent communication designed to extract important information by deceptive measures is referred to as phishing. These types of attacks are clever ways to get your employees to release login credentials, personal information or infect your network.
The best way to keep your employees on their toes and on the lookout for phishing expeditions is to test them with simulated phishing attempts to see how they react. We (LDD Consulting) and any quality IT firm will have services that simulate phishing attacks and can track your employees and measure their performance in spotting fraudulent communication. This is a key factor in your employee security. You don’t want to be an easy catch!
3. Continuous Dark Web Monitoring
The dark web is considered the Wild West of the World Wide Web. Content on the dark web is posted without regulation or user protections, and it can cause serious damage to your computer network and your business.
Dark web monitoring helps to protect your business from cyber security breaches that originate from compromised employee credentials. Monitoring the dark web in real time, and automatically being alerted when it is time to change passwords serves to avoid the dangers of credentials being put up for sale on the dark web.
The dark web is simply too large and complex for anyone to perform manual detection analysis to fully protect your computer network. The risks are very high and the information that needs to be internalized is vast. There are a wide range of affordable tools on the market today that are able to detect the patterns that identify sources as coming from the dark web. We recommend speaking with a local IT service provider to select the best dark web monitoring service for your business.
4. Security Policies
For security policies to be effective at preventing cyberattacks on your network, all employees who use computers for work (at the office or at home) need to be following the same guidelines and processes. Your specific policies employees are to adhere to need to be posted and accessible for everyone to see and reference at all times. These policies are designed to keep your company information secure and safe from cybercriminals attempting to access it.
Hackers will use all means necessary to access your network, so it is important for all employees to understand your specific policies regarding digital activity in the office or when working from home. Items like password and PIN protocols, computer and mobile device controls, internet usage guidelines, and reporting requirements are the foundations of your cyber security efforts. These details should be clearly outlined and reviewed in regular training sessions for all employees.
5. Network Monitoring
Running a modern business in today’s digital age means being responsible for the equipment and components that help to drive your operations. These technical elements of your network are what make your systems work and protect you from hackers and other serious cyberthreats. Critical network monitoring processes make sure all important elements of your system are working in proper order. Networking components that require regular monitoring include:
Any live, active computer network that uses the power of the Internet can be a target for criminals looking for a way to get at your private business information. Having your employees put in the time to protect your systems from cyberattacks will help to keep your data safe, protecting your business from those who wish to do harm to you, your employees, and your company. We offer continuous Cyber security training to all our customers at no additional cost.
If you are an Albuquerque business and have any questions or concerns about the IT security of your company, please call David Luft, CEO LDD Consulting, Inc. at (505) 792-2375. We can help!