Cyber Hygiene Best Practices

As cyberattacks become more frequent and severe, organizations must learn to practice good cyber hygiene. Cyber hygiene refers to habits that handle critical data and devices safely.

This article discusses the importance of cyber hygiene for organizations and best practices.

Importance of Cyber Hygiene

Cyber hygiene helps keep computers, networks, and data safe from threats. The following exemplify these threats: malware, ransomware, and other cyberattacks. Consistent cybersecurity practices keep systems running efficiently. They also reduce risks related to fragmentation, outdated programs, and other security gaps. Some consequences of poor cyber hygiene include:

• Security breaches—Cybercriminals take advantage of human error and poor security networks to access personal and business data.
• Data loss—When hard drives, online cloud storage, and software-as-a-service apps aren’t backed up or maintained, organizations can lose data.
• Software vulnerabilities—Software developers constantly update their programs with security patches to prevent known vulnerabilities. Because of this, out-of-date software is susceptible to cyberattacks.
• Antivirus weaknesses—Outdated security software will be less effective at protecting organizations against the latest cybersecurity threats.

In addition to keeping machines and infrastructure protected, system users and clients also rely on organizations to keep their data safe.

Cyber Hygiene Best Practices

Daily routines, good behaviors, and occasional checkups make all the difference in protecting an organization’s cyber health. The following are essential parts of cyber hygiene:

• Passwords— Strong and complex passwords—containing at least 12 characters and a mix of upper- and lower-case letters plus symbols and numbers—that are changed regularly are essential to an organization’s cyber hygiene practice. Because of this, users should avoid sharing passwords or repeatedly using them across different accounts.
• Multi-factor authentication—Important accounts, including email, social media, and banking apps, should require multi-factor authentication to limit the opportunity for cybercriminals to steal data.
• Data backups— Back up essential files in a separate location, such as on an external hard drive or in the cloud.
• Firewalls—A network firewall prevents unauthorized users from accessing company websites, email servers, and other sources of internet information.
• Security software—A high-quality antivirus software can perform automatic device scans to detect and remove malicious software and provide protection from various online threats and security breaches.
• Employee education—Employees are one of an organization’s most significant cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Due to this, teach employees to identify phishing attacks, social engineering, and other cyber-threats.

Conclusion

Organizations should develop a protective routine to secure all company, personal, and financial information. For additional risk management guidance, contact us today.