10 Cybersecurity Resolutions

Cybersecurity risks and trends change every year as technology advances. Because of this, organizations should reassess their data protection practices at the start of each new year and make achievable cybersecurity resolutions to help protect themselves from costly breaches. Here are 10 resolutions your company could implement to avoid becoming the victim of a cybercrime:

1. Provide security training: Employees are your first line of defense when it comes to cyberthreats. If an employee clicks a malicious link or downloads fraudulent software, it can compromise even the best systems. That’s why it’s critical to thoroughly train personnel on common cyberthreats and the proper response methods. Employees should be aware of the dangers of visiting harmful websites, leaving their devices unattended, and oversharing personal information on social media. Your staff should also understand your company’s cybersecurity policies and know how to report suspicious activities.
2. Install strong antivirus software and keep it updated: Outside of training employees, antivirus software is one of the best ways to protect your company’s data. Be sure to conduct thorough research to choose software that’s best for your company’s needs. Once installed, keep antivirus programs.
3. Emphasize safe web browsing practices: If malicious websites infect your company’s network, they can lead to more serious cyberattacks. To protect your organization, train employees on proper web usage and instruct them to only interact with secure websites. For further protection, consider blocking known threats and potentially malicious web pages outright.
4. Create strong password policies: Ongoing password management can help prevent attackers from compromising your password-protected information. Effective password management protects the integrity, availability, and confidentiality of your organization’s passwords. Above all, you’ll want to create a password policy that specifies all of your organization’s requirements related to password management. This policy should require employees to change their passwords regularly, avoid using the same password for multiple accounts, and use a variety of special characters in their passwords.
5. Use multifactor authentication (MFA): While complex passwords help deter cybercriminals, they can still be cracked. Because of this, MFA is key. MFA adds a layer of security that can allow your company to protect against compromised credentials. Through this method, users must confirm their identities by providing extra information (e.g., a phone number or unique security code) when attempting to access corporate applications, networks, and servers.
6. Conduct vulnerability assessments: The best way to evaluate your company’s data exposures is through vulnerability assessments. Using simulated attacks and stress tests, vulnerability assessments can help you uncover entry points into your IT infrastructure. Afterwards, cybersecurity experts can provide your company with recommendations for improving network and data safeguards.
7. Patch systems regularly and keep them updated: A common way cybercriminals can gain entry into your company’s systems is by exploiting software vulnerabilities. To prevent this, update applications, operating systems, security software, and firmware regularly.
8. Back up your data: If your company’s systems are ever compromised, it’s important to keep backup files. Failing to do so can result in the loss of critical business or proprietary data.
9. Understand phishing threats and how to respond: In broad terms, phishing is a method cybercriminals use to gather personal information. In these scams, phishers send emails or direct users to fraudulent websites and ask victims to provide sensitive information. These emails and websites are designed to look legitimate and trick individuals into sharing confidential details. Phishing is becoming more sophisticated by the day, and it’s more important than ever to understand the different types of attacks, how to identify them, and the preventive measures you can implement to keep your organization safe. As a result, it’s best to train employees on common phishing scams and provide real-world examples to help them better understand what to look for.
10. Create an incident response plan: Most organizations have some form of data protection in place. While these protections are critical for minimizing the damages caused by a breach, they don’t provide clear action steps following an attack. That’s where cyber incident response plans can help. While cybersecurity programs help, cyber incident response plans provide clear steps for companies to follow when a cyber event occurs. An effective response plan can help your company notify impacted customers and partners quickly and efficiently, limiting financial and reputational damages.

This article is not intended to be exhaustive, nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel for legal advice. ©2024 Zywave, Inc. All rights reserved.