Do you know how to protect your company's data from attacks? With the proliferation of cyber-attacks and data breaches, this is a growing concern among organizations.
As the threat landscape has evolved, attacks have become more and more sophisticated and risks that were once thought to be unlikely have started to happen with regularity. This has made it evident that companies must be increasingly aware of and prepared for the new risks.
To help you strengthen cybersecurity in your company, we've separated 10 tips on how to protect data from cyberattacks.
1.
Have a cyber-risk management plan
To help your business identify and prevent cybersecurity risks, create a cyber-risk management program.
For this to work, everyone needs to know how this risk management plan works – including employees, contractors, and suppliers. Your approach will need to evolve along with changes in technology and the risks faced by companies.
2.
Make sure you keep safe settings
Secure configuration refers to the security measures your company must take when building and installing computers and network devices.
It is important to develop a strategy to remove or disable unnecessary functionality from systems and quickly fix known vulnerabilities. To do this, you can use automated patch and software update management tools.
3.
Keep remote workers safe
Having people work from home or remotely can create new risks, such as the loss or theft of devices or confidential information.
The precautions you can take to avoid these risks include checking the encrypted data on the devices (which will protect the data on the device in case it is lost or stolen) and ensuring that staff know how to report any issues.
4.
Be prepared for the worst
Security incidents are very common. According to data collected by the Securities and Exchange Commission (CVM), notifications regarding cyberattacks against companies grew 220% in the first half of 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.
Therefore, it is important to prepare for the worst and invest in defining policies and processes to help manage an incident and reduce its impact.
5.
Protect your company from malicious software
Malicious software, known as malware, includes viruses and ransomware. In short, this is any code or content that could pose a threat to your IT systems, disrupt your business, or lead to the loss of confidential information or data.
It's vital that all your employees know how to recognize and protect against malware. You can also implement robust antivirus tools on all devices.
6.
Manage user privileges
Give users only the minimum necessary level of data access, system privileges, and rights. That way, if an account is misused or compromised, the impact can be minimized.
7. Monitor all networks, systems, and services
Proper monitoring allows you to assess how systems are being used and whether they are under attack. For example, unusual network traffic – such as connections from unexpected locations abroad – or large data transfers should automatically generate a security alert.
8.
Ensure network security
Your systems are vulnerable to attack through your networks' connections to the internet and other partner networks. So make sure your network security is robust. There are different types of data security, including network, firewalls, email security, and antivirus software.
9.
Control Removable Media Usage
Removable media is anything that can be connected to a computer, from a USB to a smartphone or tablet. They can store and transfer sensitive or confidential data and information.
When using these devices, information can be easily lost – potentially damaging your company's reputation – or malicious software can be introduced.
Therefore, develop and implement policies and solutions to control and minimize the use of removable media and ensure that everyone is aware of these policies.
10.
Educate your team
Finally, it is essential that every team knows these tips on how to protect your company's data from attacks. So be sure to establish a culture of cybersecurity concern by providing training and ensuring that employees feel empowered to report incidents without fear of recrimination.