16 January, 2020
In contemporary societies, the cybersecurity crimes are one of the complex issues confronting the organizations. The term “cybersecurity” has now become a part of daily news headlines, as many government departments and businesses are continue to experience the unsolicited network breaches. Higher authorities of an organization must implement responsive plan to cover increased costs of such security breaches. Not only the big corporation, but the smaller companies as well have been targeted by the cybercriminals. If you are a part of an organization or if you are someone who owns it, you may have an idea about the devastation and monetary losses caused by the network breach. The state and federal laws are facing serious challenges to keep up with rapid technological advancements that attempt to provide opportunities to make ill use of internet connection and computer systems for commercial gains and criminal purposes. If your organization has been facing cybercrime issues and have found the guilty parties, then it is suggested to contact Los Angeles Criminal Lawyer to avail best services. An organization should take proactive legal actions to protect its network and system devices from hackers and cybercriminals. Learn more about useful ways to ensure cybersecurity:
Implement Password Rules
It is beneficial to enforce password rules in your organization. Securing the system with strong passwords can be your first line of defense to protect against ruptures like outflow of confidential business data. Not only this, the IT team within the organization needs to ensure the occasional change of passwords to keep a distance from hackers. It is noted that most of the employees do not bother to update their passwords even when requested and encouraged by the officials of security department. It’s not a good practice from employees’ side and can eventually lead to serious damages. Make it mandatory for the employees to update their passwords monthly. Give them basic training to create strong password for their logins.
Encourage System Updates
You probably have an idea how important it is for your organization to ensure regular system updates. The modern technological inventions have made it easy for the hackers to gain a control over primary systems. Therefore, any system that is connected to the Internet is highly vulnerable against potential external threats. This approach is well-adopted by the hackers to exploit the system security in every possible manner. It is suggested to regularly update the operating systems, internet connections, Wi-Fi routers, and applications with extra coverings and enhancements. Additionally, implement software that can limit the possible exposure to vulnerabilities of operational systems.
Ditch the Unused Services
Do not hold of services that have no more use for your organization. It is better to timely ditch all the unused services that have come to their limited expiration dates. It is sensible to decommission the applications, logins, and user credentials associated with these retired services. When you don’t get rid of such services, means you are inviting possible hacking activities. Turn off all the unnecessary services and unused protocols. For instance, if a certain feature of a unified communications service like video chat is not being in your organization, then it is suggested to immediately turn that off to limit the potential threat that can be caused by the unauthorized access.
Maintain Strict Control over Existing Security Options
Look for reliable and reputable network security providers that offer useful services and solutions to enhance the safety of IT environment in your organization. It is valuable to maintain strict control over current operative structures of your organization. You can allow your workforce to work anytime to ramp up their levels of productivity or efficiency, but that approach can definitely disturb the teams working together on a single project. In this case, you need to put limitations in order to secure the organizational technologies. Although there are many high-tech applications available in the market that come with the built-in security features. But implementing additional protection options is not a bad idea. The vendors and service providers are relatively confident of their products and put their efforts to deliver safe products to safeguard their customers against cybercrimes. Yet, it is equally needed from users’ end also to take additional security measures. The IT officials can hold significant control over existing system by acquiring and executing software that offer fullest extent in conjunction with other security features.
Make Certain of Security Oriented Structure
Typically, in organizations, the level of security ranges from strict to no security at all-and everything that comes in between. It is noted that when an origination hires new staff, they know nothing about the mandatory security level required by the IT and security department. Therefore, it must be the practice of an organization to conduct the orientation program and inform the new hires about the probably safety rules and regulation designed by the higher authorities. Tell them it is genuinely important to follow and implement these security-related policies. Provide them essential training on Sarbanes-Oxley, HIPPA and other industry tenets. Although security level for every organization differ but it is wise to establish a baseline. It won’t be wrong to say that a formalized organizational structure is more secured against cybersecurity threats in the long run. Thus, don’t delay your decisions to ensure minimum degree of security formalization.
Conduct Sanity Check Meetings
If you are someone who works for an IT department or an official of a security team, then it counts in your duties and responsibilities to regularly schedule meetings with other subdivisions of the organization. This practice let the personnel from diverse teams to raise their concerns and suggest ideal solutions to ensure a safe working environment. The check meeting is a great idea to remind them that why and how much it is important for the organization to meet its security needs and demands. Regularly, take out some time to physically visit the significant assets of the organization placed in different departments. It is good to keep several eyes on valuable assets. This way, you might be able to investigate or reveal something new, strange, and daunting.
Regularly Update the Asset Lists
There is always a burden to make regular changes at the workplace. But, you probably know that how much insurance companies love collecting receipts of everything and having things in order based on some specified requirements. Well, the same goes for official teams and police departments too. Therefore, it is suggested to have a detailed report on company’s assets to protect the organizational rights against cybersecurity crimes. Yes, there is something to regularly updating the record. This way, you get to have a list of company’s valuable assets that need to be highly secured and protected against potential external threats. If possible, take pictures and record videos of all the stuff, as well as the serial numbers and brand names, on a monthly or bi-annually basis and save them on to two different places. So, if hostile activities happen with the assets, you can claim monetary damage against insured assets. You will have a proper report based on accurate content and data to submit it to insurance company.
Employ NIST Cybersecurity Framework
Despite the size and structure of an organization, it is always valuable to use the NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) Cybersecurity Framework to create an information security program to safeguard the work setting. This practical approach also allows an organization to enhance or improve the existing cybersecurity plan. It is developed to meet diverse range cyber sophistication needs of an organization. Regardless of the organizational risk profile, this system is built to secure the workplace from probable internal and external security threats. The National Institute of Standards and Technology tends to promote the development or use of technological innovation, measurement standards, and industrial competitiveness to ensure a safe working environment by eliminating the potential cybersecurity threats that organizations have to face on routine basis.
Identify Non-Performing Functions and Teams
It is suggested to develop a reliable understanding of what is required from a specified network, function, and team. This outcomes in identifying the likely areas where management bodies have to put strong and solid security procedures to mitigate the potential risk. Find out all those functions and teams within and outside the organization whose procedure and policy maturity are not performing accordingly to specified expectations or requirements. This practice will definitely help the organizations in identifying weak links and vulnerable spots in personnel, organizational policies, leadership, and, most importantly in formulated technological system.
Retain Multi-Layer Protection on the Network
A multi-layer antivirus and malware protection is best-suited to meet all the cybersecurity-related needs of an organization. It is extremely important to invest in reliable antivirus software as it attempts to scan files that you open and provide real-time protection to the sensitive information and confidential data of a business. The multi-layer option works absolutely incredible to provide effective security. Furthermore, it is also important to stay up-to-date by the current changings of the software. Make sure to conduct updates on your existing malware and antivirus software. The constant changes are usually offered to provide better security experience to the users. The updates let the users enjoy more secure features while extracting other useful benefits.
I'm Harry Wilson, a senior digital marketing consultant at Globex Outreach. Writing is my part-time hobby because I get to share my experience with the world. Professionally, I help map out a flawless digital marketing plan for the clients at my firm.
