Helpful Means to Enhance Information Security in Your Firm

A security breach is increasingly becoming a whack-a-mole game in most high-profile organizations. As soon as you secure one threat, another one appears. Cyber-attacks reveal the vulnerability of data in a firm. It also highlights the lack of inadequate security strategies in a firm.

Data security is critical for the well-being of any organization. Your financial details, employees’ details, and trade secrets need to be safeguarded by all means possible. SOC Audit dwells on information security, confidentiality, integrity, and privacy.

The compromise of these business essentials can cause you financial and reputation damage. Here are valuable tips to help you beef up cybersecurity in your organization.

Protect the perimeter and the data

Many organizations seem to be preoccupied with building walls around their data and spending a fortune on firewall technology. 

However, several options can be used to bypass the firewall including, employees, suppliers, and clients. Once they’re in the system they can easily access your supposedly secured data and manipulate sensitive information.

Consequently, organizations have to go beyond firewall technology and seek alternatives to protect the data itself.

Mind the insider threats

When an organization is attacked, the likely suspects are usually exterior parties. However, those around you can hurt you most because they are deemed trustworthy and unlikely suspects. Inside cyber threats are the most prevalent and equally expensive to manage. This makes it difficult to detect threats from within the firm.

 An employee only needs to tap on an email attachment they supposedly believe is from a trusted source and maliciously release a ransomware worm to invade the data.

Encrypt all devices

Personal devices have increasingly become the preferred working gadgets of our time. However, few people are keen to safeguard their data beyond having a password. 

Secure your mobile device by storing all data in an encrypted form and retaining it when migrating.

Run tests on your security

Some organizations opt to install antivirus software on each computer in the firm. This only serves to satisfy their insecurities but does not warrant absolute protection of data. 

Hire a professional data handler firm to run tests on your installed security systems and see the many loopholes they’re exposed to. 

Most of the employees within the organization have access to passwords and share with colleagues. This is a threat that can only be sealed by advanced data security systems.

Delete all redundant data

The daily running of an organization involves using data for financial, healthcare, education issues around the firm. It is crucial to install efficient data disposal mechanisms to prevent stale data from falling into the wrong hands. Invest in a shredder to render sensitive information indecipherable. You can also install an application to delete information sent to the output recycling bin permanently.

Establish long, strong passwords

Critical accounts that have sensitive, valuable data should have a strong password that goes beyond the ordinary. Most organizations employ lenient password policies that lead to simple, generic, and easy-to-hack versions.

A strong password should ideally have a combination of numerals, letters, and other characters that are not so easy to memorize. You should also change the password after every three months. 

Additionally, never write down passwords on your work desk where other workmates can easily find it.

Regularly back-up your data

Since you do not know when the next hacker is landing in your system, it is advisable to adopt a data backup routine. Regular data backup should be an IT security strategy. 

 As a security best practice, secure your data in a remote location from the business. With security backup in place, you can survive the accidental deletion of files to a deliberate ransomware lockdown.

Create cybersecurity awareness within the firm

Every employee within the organization who has a password and a username should take the initiative to safeguard their data. The IT technicians should constantly remind managers and team leaders to always practice discretion with passwords, especially to outsiders. 

Everyone is charged with the responsibility of keeping hackers away. It is not preservation for IT handlers only.

Regularly update your running programs

You can adequately protect your computer by ensuring it is always patched up and updated. Your security software is only as efficient as the most recent updated version. Regular updates can deter hackers and ransomware because they target the weaknesses and loopholes in former software versions.

Support cyber-security staff

Often, organizations do not allocate sufficient funds to the IT department because the management personnel do not understand cyber-security demands.  

Your organization will only enjoy fewer data breaches if your employees follow the recommended best security practice.