Some best practices are considered crucial for strengthening cybersecurity in a company. These practices include monitoring user activity, documenting security policies, and updating software. These measures should be followed to keep corporate data and other confidential information safe from unauthorized access. The best practices also include limiting employee access to corporate information.
Monitoring User Activity
A top priority for strengthening cybersecurity in a company is to monitor user activity. In most organizations, this can be accomplished through activity monitoring software. It is also possible to employ small investigative teams to look for insiders who have hero complexes and are motivated by personal gain. Knowing what drives these individuals will help you formulate mitigation strategies and identify risks.
Although insider threats are prevalent, most companies only dedicate a small portion of their resources to combating them. Many prevention efforts fail because they focus on monitoring behavior, not cultural norms. This leads to a large volume of false positives and wastes the investigative team’s time.
Documenting Security Policies
Security policies are critical to strengthening the cybersecurity of a company. A good policy outlines the processes and procedures for protecting data and systems. It also contains a mission statement that communicates to all employees the importance of information security. It also should include a statement defining the scope of the policy, which can be based on a geographic region, job role, or organizational concept.
For many cybersecurity companies, security policies should be concise, relevant, and well-written. They should also be fine-tuned for the unique needs of the organization. The policies should align with the company’s business objectives and adhere to applicable regulations.
Keeping Software Up-To-Date
Experts recommend that a company keep all software up-to-date, including antivirus software. These updates may come with new security features, bug fixes, or performance improvements. They may also include security patches to help prevent hackers from exploiting known vulnerabilities. By keeping all software up-to-date, a company can avoid cyber threats and minimize the damage they cause. Many devices will automatically install updates, but some may require manual action.
Users should check for updates regularly and install them as soon as they are notified. If a device is outdated, updates might not install correctly or cause other problems. Users should also make sure to enable automatic backups and check the device’s status periodically to ensure that the updates are successful.
Password Management
Password management is essential in cybersecurity, as 80% of breaches result from weak credentials. It is estimated that 76% of employees experience problems with their passwords at some point, and IT technicians spend up to 4 hours daily dealing with password problems. Therefore, companies must implement better password policies and tools to protect against security breaches. Password management should be an essential practice regardless of the industry you’re in.
You should train employees to use strong passwords, even if it’s a small business. Many users need to frequently change passwords and reuse them across multiple sites. This can invite cybercriminals into your home or office, so make sure your passwords are secure. In addition to training employees, organizations should also implement a password manager to make password management easier and prevent password reuse.
