Top Cybersecurity Lessons Learned in 2021
Cybersecurity attacks have left a string of losses for many companies. Private firms and governments have all been affected by these threats, especially after the onset of the pandemic.
Any business that seeks a smooth operation makes cybersecurity matters a priority. This article outlines ways you can protect yourself from cyber-attacks. Read on to learn more.
Stay on top by staying in the loop.
A single attack can wipe out small and medium businesses. A breach, unfortunately, has a domino effect once thriving. Other than the cost of the breach, your business is exposed to additional charges like legal actions customers may take against you.
Entrusting a business’ technology to trusted IT security experts goes beyond getting tailored infrastructure or maintaining your network. Partnering with a reliable partner gives you access to a wealth of information on cybersecurity matters.
Your business can be affected due to an attack or face the risk of the same. Quick action is the only way to prevent cyber threats from becoming attacks because the cybersecurity industry is dynamic and fast in its change.
Another way to prevent loss and build resilience for your business in case of an attack is compliance with the state’s legal provisions. Resilience is only created by identifying risks that your business is likely to suffer a breach and making sure it survives later.
Otherwise, like so many SMBs, the business becomes a casualty of an attack. The Ohio Data Protection Act is the legal framework for enterprises that will protect you from claims as long as your business meets the minimum standards.
Rea & Associates security solutions are always compliant with all regulations that affect our partners to ensure your protection by the law in a breach. Most breaches are often the actions of unrelenting hackers and not the business’ failing. For example, only in the previous year, there were 76% cyber-attacks on firms in the US.
Preparing for the inevitable
The reality of cyber attacks is that the hackers are actively looking for ways to cash the biggest payout at the end of the day. They hack businesses to get affiliated with groups that pay the big bucks. So, a bitter pill or not, the likelihood your business will be targeted is high.
When the inevitable happens, your preparations before the fact will be the safety net that prevents catastrophic eventualities. Such preparation includes the policies and procedures unique to your business to ensure the least possible damage.
The protocols were drawn up in response to an incident are crucial. The business continues operating despite the attack or at least resumes operations in the shortest time.
Yet, it is essential to point out that the most important thing to enable any preparation to be effective is calm. Panic is never beneficial.
Improve your business’ credibility
The grim statistics are not an excuse to give up, because being intentional is crucial for credibility. One way to improve credibility is continually getting information about incidents from a credible source. Monitoring cyber news is not easy because filtering the facts from the rest of the noise is vital. A reliable cybersecurity expert provides you with good information about tricks that could hamper an attacker from doing a lot of damage.
Educating your team to make adjustments in their operation capacities routine can do all the business. Educating them on identifying malware, phishing emails, or such threats can keep the business safe, especially when there is a broad-spread attack.
Our partners are provided with information when it happens, and because we keep our ears on the ground, things others have gone through help advise our customers. In turn, your customers get the information early in the game, improving your credibility.
Sharing information in cybersecurity threat intelligence
After an attack, the pros can share valuable information about the techniques or responses that were effective in helping those who were affected. This removes the margin of error and makes your actions level-headed and targeted. Ensuring your business has access to threat feeds is proactive because maintaining security is a team effort. So, it is an advantage to our partners that our company is part of a community sharing intelligence from different parts of the world. An attack in one part of the world can affect your business in Ohio directly or indirectly, which is why being plugged is not an option.
Protect your business from cyberattacks
Attacks like the SolarWinds attack may affect your business, although they were not targeting it. The business can reduce vulnerability to such actions by getting the best information to minimize risks.
Assuming any anomaly to be a breach keeps vigilant and hyper-aware and will sail through a serious attack better. Finally, if an attack results in a breach, it’s good business sense to get an expert who has dealt with that particular breach to help.
Partnering with managed cybersecurity services can protect you
Managed security services are different from the rest because they have expertise that closes gaps in standard cybersecurity services. But the partnership works if the relationship is transparent and collaborative. This is why choosing to partner with a local partner is best, because trust allows both parties to make the relationship successful.
Cyber insurance
Cyber insurance has been brought to the forefront because of the inevitability of cybersecurity breaches. Every business is unique, and your policy should make sense for your business. Advanced coverage can provide an umbrella for several threats.
Thus, adding coverage for risks like cyber fraud, risk of extortion, or a problem resulting from technology may be a wise idea. Currently, the NSO group facing off with technology giant Apple has brought to light some failings of their technology.
It is a fact that the era of cybersecurity breaches is just beginning. The only thing SMBs and other organizations can do is to prepare ahead.
The Bottom Line
Every business is vulnerable to cyberattacks and taking steps to protect yourself is beneficial. Cybercriminals are masquerading as trusted entities to obtain privileged access credentials to carry out their attacks.
Our team at Rea & Associates is determined to keep you safe by providing IT solutions and cybersecurity threat intelligence. Contact us for more information.
Thanks to Ulistic HPC member, Aaron Kane from CTI Technology for his help with this article.