Employee Cybersecurity Training

Cybersecurity issues are a growing threat to business, despite numerous technological advancements. Workers are still working remotely, even as life returns to a pre-pandemic normal.

Companies find it difficult to implement and maintain satisfactory cybersecurity practices in current financial recession. The organizations’ data is still unprotected, which makes them vulnerable to data breaches and cyberattacks.

Why you need employee cybersecurity training

Here are reasons why cybersecurity awareness training programs should be offered to employees. These programs are essential in today’s workplace, both at the office and at home. Learn seven essential ways to improve the effectiveness of your employee program.

Human error is the culprit

A recent Stanford University study found that human error is the greatest threat to cybersecurity. According to this study, 88 percent of data breaches were caused by employee errors. The study found that younger employees are more likely to be phished and to admit to making mistakes than older employees.

A study by IBM that examined thousands of customers across 130 countries found that human error was a significant contributor to 95 percent of all breaches. In other words, 19 of the 20 data breaches that were analyzed in this IBM study could have been prevented if human error was not present.

These results show that even the most advanced technical security measures are not stronger or more resilient than those who apply them. The first step to protecting your company against cyber threats is understanding the importance of human error. A proactive approach is essential to successfully reduce risk in 2021.

7 essential steps to cyber security awareness training

#1. Cybersecurity education for employees is ongoing

Your employees will be more successful in protecting your company and assets from phishing, malware, and other threats if they are more educated about cybersecurity risks. By investing in cyber literacy, your employees will be more aware of the importance and motivated to do a better job.

Cyber security awareness training is not enough to raise awareness. Top-performing cybersecurity training use a variety of scenarios to help employees understand what they need to be aware of and why. These programs don’t come on a one-and-done basis. They are held regularly, while continually integrating new and relevant knowledge.

#2. A hands-on learning approach

Your employees are only as effective as the theories they teach them about cybersecurity awareness when they actually put it into action. Your cybersecurity awareness program must go beyond mere training to ensure that your employees are able to prevent attacks such as phishing emails. Training is not enough. It’s just a way to get educational materials.

Instead, make sure that your employees learn the knowledge you intend to impart through your program. Employees will learn how to apply that knowledge and follow the lessons.

This hands-on strategy combines procedural learning with contextual, highly-relevant, as well as the immediate feedback. All parties involved will gain a better understanding of the subject and form memories that can change their habits or eliminate mistakes.

#3. Determining Risks

Cyberattacks can be more dangerous to certain employees than others. Statistics show that less than 20% of employees are responsible for the majority of human error-related loss.

Simulating employees at high risk is a good way to identify them. Next, use a specific formula and algorithm to measure risk effectively.

You’ll be able to create and implement highly targeted interventions that are tailored to each employee segment based on their risk level if you have a better understanding of the microsegments in your employee base.

You can get a better understanding of your risk groups by micro-segmentation. These insights will help you to:

• You will be better able to understand the different levels of risk that employees invite into your organization.
• You can identify more specific actions based on each employee and the associated risks.
• Supervise groups of employees to make monitoring more cost-effective, as opposed to individual workers, and still protect their privacy.

#4. Comprehensive Analytics

Predictive insider-persona analytics takes your targeted persona groups up to the next level. Analytics allows you to identify high-risk individuals and monitor them using specific markers.

This will allow you to identify groups and individuals that are most likely to pose threats to your organization before they appear. Then, you can take preventive action.

#5. Real-time feedback

Real-time feedback, as we have briefly mentioned, is an effective way to engage employees. It allows them to internalize and recall why they are doing what they do, and helps them avoid making mistakes.

By providing feedback,

• You show your employees the security gap that exists between them and the organization–evidence of their need for cybersecurity awareness training in the first place.
• Employees instantly understand what happened and how to avoid similar mistakes in the future, even more so when security events include live feedback.
• This “nibble-sized” approach allows employees to take advantage of learning opportunities that are relevant to their daily lives. They can quickly identify the training they need and then engage with it when it is most important.

#6. Change in the Culture

A deeper method to cybersecurity awareness training will eliminate the co-opting and negligence that can lead to human error. It encourages cultural change by addressing employee attitudes and beliefs head-on.

This is a highly personal task that addresses the motivations for malicious behavior and how employees see them. Instead of employees just going through their daily routines, you foster an environment of employee engagement.

Continuously delivering the previously mentioned awareness “bites” will help transform your organization’s cybersecurity culture. You must make sure they are easy to understand, engaging, and effective.

#7. Scientific training method

For long-term, optimal results, you should adopt a scientific training methodology. This method combines learning expertise, data science and automation to make security awareness training simple and efficient for businesses. This platform leverages your data to maximize the learning experience for each employee every day.

You can use a scientific training platform to:

• To improve employee performance, analyze the data.
• To keep it top-of-mind, you must provide continuous learning that is not boring.
• To optimize contextual delivery, you can achieve effective performance.
• To create strong cognitive patterns, use diverse stimuli that are relevant and applicable.
• To make learning relevant and memorable, engage in just-in time learning.
• Training at flexible intervals is possible that can be adjusted to each employee’s learning curve.

This combination of tips will give you complete security awareness.

Final thoughts

These seven principles will help you reduce the number of malicious attacks that are caused by employee error. This will increase employee engagement and empower them to protect your valuable assets and your bottom line.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you are interested in training your employees about keeping your network secure and keeping cyberthreats at bay.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Charleston, SC 29407
843-418-4792
https://manageditservicescharleston.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Cybersecurity: Your Workplace is the Next Frontier

If you go back just five years, cybersecurity companies provided a desktop computer loaded with antivirus software. It took a long time for the machine to start up.

Laptops followed by smartphones, and then tablets. With them came a constant connection to high-speed internet. It was not enough to keep the hardware safe. Anything, from your desktop computer to your smartphone, can become a liability within seconds. With constant online security scares–and devastating consequences–companies must rethink online security in the workplace.

Companies are now more focused than ever on protecting their employees and their data from sophisticated attacks over the past few years. Shared best practices are now common across industries. Companies also educate their employees about how to keep safe in the workplace. Cybersecurity in Charleston SC is becoming an integral part of company culture. Many companies are increasing their resources to protect employees from cyberattacks.

Cybersecurity Tips: Here are the secrets of what companies do behind-the scenes:

Adding an extra layer of safety: Cyber security is often performed behind closed doors. Find a managed IT service provider that offers breach security plan and privacy expert advice from selected vendors to help companies better manage a data breach.

Utilizing outside expertise: Many companies are using outside contractors like SpartanTec in Charleston SC to assess their ability to respond to a breach. Companies want to know where potential lapses could occur and how they can be prevented or minimized.

Change in culture: Companies are training employees to understand the implications of cyber attacks and now integrate cyber security into the workplace. This has led to employees being more aware of their actions at work and home, and assuming the responsibility for keeping the company’s systems and data safe.

Collaboration across industries: Data breaches are more common than ever because of the ease of doing business. Many businesses will share their best practices. This is particularly important for small and medium-sized businesses, where cyber crime is more common. According to research, more than 90% of small and medium-sized enterprises experienced a cyberattack that had a serious impact on their business.

SpartanTec, Inc. will helps companies such as yours to avoid security breaches.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Charleston, SC 29407
843-418-4792
https://manageditservicescharleston.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Tips On How To Run A Cybersecurity Audit

To ensure your company’s network security, you will need more than just the most recent antivirus software. An audit of cybersecurity can help you get a full picture of your security strategy.

Cybercrime is now a major epidemic.

In 2018, 812.67 millions cases of malware infection were reported. In 2020, cybercrime grew 600%. Ransomware attacks could cost companies $6 trillion annually by 2022, according to estimates.

Cybersecurity in Charleston SC is a goal that you should prioritize. This puts you and your company at high risk.

It’s possible that you have already put in place strategies to fight hackers and other cyber criminals. You must also ensure that your measures are adequate.

This is where a cybersecurity audit comes in handy.

What is a Cybersecurity Audit?

An audit is a thorough examination of all cybersecurity strategies you have in place. The audit has two purposes.

1, You can identify any gaps in your system and fill them.

2. To demonstrate your ability to protect yourself against cyber threats, create a detailed report.

A cybersecurity audit typically consists of three phases.

• Assessment
• Assignment
• Audit

During the assessment phase you will examine the current system.

It involves examining your company’s servers, computers, software, and databases. This includes reviewing how access rights are assigned and examining any hardware or software that you have in place to protect against attacks.

You will most likely be able to see security holes that you need to fix during the assessment phase. Once that is done, you can move on to the assignment.

This is where you will assign the appropriate solutions to the identified issues. You may need to assign professionals to help you implement these solutions.

The audit is the final step. After you have implemented the solution, this audit is done to ensure that everything is in order before you return it to your company. This audit will focus on ensuring all patches, upgrades, and installations work as they should.

THE THREE TIPS TO A SUCCESSFUL CYBERSECURITY AUDIT

Once you have mastered the basics of a cybersecurity audit, it is time to learn how to conduct an effective audit that provides you with the information you require. An ineffective audit can leave your systems vulnerable to attack, and could miss critical security gaps.

These tips will assist you in conducting a successful cybersecurity audit within your company.

TIP #1 – ALWAYS CONTACT THE AGE OF EXISTING SECURITIES SYSTEMS

There is no one solution that will work every time. Cyberthreats change constantly. Hackers are always coming up with new ways of breaking into security protocols. Every system that you have already implemented has an expiration. It will eventually become ineffective against new cyber threats.

You should always check the current cyber security solutions in place at your company. When a manufacturer releases an update, make sure you update your company’s systems. If the manufacturer discontinues support for the software that you are using, it is your signal to make the necessary changes.

This applies to all software, not just cyber security solutions. Software that is not supported or up-to-date can pose a serious security risk. It is important to eliminate it as quickly as possible from your business!

TIP #2 – IDENTIFY YOUR TREATS

Ask yourself which areas are most likely to be affected by cyber-attacks as you audit your company’s cybersecurity.

Data privacy is an important concern when auditing a system that holds a lot customer information. This situation presents threats from malware, phishing attacks, weak passwords and other vulnerabilities.

Internal threats can be more serious, whether they are from malicious employees or employees who have access rights that allow them to see data they shouldn’t.

Sometimes, employees may even be unaware of data being leaked.

Allowing employees to connect to the company network from their devices is a risk. You have no control over how secure they are.

Before you can implement any solutions, it is important to fully understand the risks.

TIP #3 – CONSIDER HOW YOUR EMPLOYEES WILL BE EDUCATED

You have identified the threats and created plans to address them. But, these plans are meaningless if employees don’t know how they should be implemented.

The cyber security audit will not be useful if you have an emergency such as a data breach and your employees don’t know how to deal with it.

This can be avoided by educating your employees about cyber security threats and what to do to avoid them. The following are some of the details that you might need to include in your plan:

How to spot the various threats you have identified

To find out more information about a threat, employees can go to the following location:

• Contact information for employees who identify threats
• What time it will take to fix the threat
• You may have rules about external devices and data accessing stored on secure servers.

Cyber security is not just the domain of IT support providers. This is a constant concern that everyone in an organization must be aware of. You can strengthen your defense against future attacks by educating your employees about possible threats and how to deal with them.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now and let our team of IT experts help improve your company’s online security.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Charleston, SC 29407
843-418-4792
https://manageditservicescharleston.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Top 3 Challenges Hindering SMB Cybersecurity

Last year has been a tough year especially when it comes to security. It seems like security leaders are doing their best to keep the pandemic under control, ransomware continues to rise, the cost of the breach continues to increase, and now we have a war in Europe. A  lot of companies are being forced to focus on and bolster their cybersecurity.

There’s also a need to balance the provision of incentives to workers who’ve been working remotely for two years as they return to the office. The old ways of doing things is no longer sufficient and organizations can no longer ignore cybersecurity.

IT security has become one of the top priorities of companies and that is expected to continue. Unfortunately, coming up with an effective security strategy isn’t easy. Here are the challenges that companies may face.

Cybersecurity Challenges Companies Face

Talent

It’s difficult to find professional and talented IT support staff. Not only that, it may cost a lot to train good employees. Every company has had talented staff resign after they were offered with higher salaries and better titles by a different employer.

Should you consider paying agencies to help find excellent employees or should you pay for the one that you have sourced yourself? Should you hold out for months just so you can find the right candidate?

Companies today want to lower the risks of cyberattacks or in a worst case scenario, mitigate a successful cyberattack before the company suffers extensive and real damage. To help you do that, your security needs to have the appropriate resources. This isn’t a problem with bigger companies but it may not be a good option for small and medium sized businesses.

Smaller companies most likely will go for an external option. They could leverage third-party managed IT services as well as managed detection and response vendors might be able to assist in finding the talent that a company can’t source.

Budget

Cybersecurity in Charleston SC is receiving board level exposure although IT budgets are currently under pressure because of the rash of cybercriminals always making the headlines. Ransomware gangs are upskilling themselves and because of that companies are increasing their budget for IT security as well.

The challenge that most companies face is finding out what investments would pro0vide the best returns and where the money should be spent.

It’s no secret that it’s insufficient to only have a security strategy that is developed solely on prevention tools. You need to know how to balance prevention, handle common threats, and detect threats.

You should consider endpoint detection and response tools (EDR) as well as XDR tools. With the right IT people, processes, and tools will help create more actionable outcomes that could help in boosting your company’s cybersecurity.

Changing Environment

Changing environment isn’t a new problem. It has something to do with the insufficient processes that are created between the security and IT teams. In the past decades, the stakes increased as well. Ransomware has become more sophisticated and cyberattackers can easily target companies of all sizes and get what they want through untraceable cryptocurrencies.

Ransomware will continue to be a problem in 2022. Misconfigurations and compromised credentials will still be the vectors used by cybercriminals.

You need to:

• have a patching program that’s proactive
• You must improve the program with an emergency patching tool that’s reactive
• You should implement an extensive detection and response plan that will catch threats that may try to evade your defenses.

Call SpartanTec, Inc. now if you need the help of IT support specialists in boosting your cybersecurity measures.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Charleston, SC 29407
843-418-4792
https://manageditservicescharleston.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Local areas served:Woodhaven, Lighthouse Point, Farmington, Lynnwood, Hillside, Oak Forest, Oceanview, Mount Pleasant, Green Acres, Northbridge

Cybersecurity Guide – Cyberattacks on Small Businesses

Cyberattacks can disrupt your business. This cybersecurity guide will help you to avoid online threats.

61% of data breaches directly impact small businesses.

As part of a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy, you must

• use strong passwords
• the most up-to-date antivirus software
• implement best practices.

There are many types of attacks. The most popular are distributed denial-of-service (DDoS), and man-in the-middle attacks (MitM).

Every second, the internet receives more than 77 Terabytes of traffic. The internet has evolved into a digital Silk Road, facilitating almost every aspect of modern life. Just as the Silk Road’s merchants had their troubles, so can today’s entrepreneurs be hounded by cyber-malcontents who seek to disrupt and steal your company’s assets.

Recent headlines have focused on crippling cyberattacks on major corporations. Although each cyberattack on a major corporation has resulted in massive damages in the millions, many stories neglect to mention smaller businesses that are also vulnerable. According to Verizon’s Data Breach Investigations Report 43% of breaches affected SMBs.

While you may not be able to predict when the next attack will occur, taking precautions can help stop hackers from gaining access or even completely block them. SpartanTec in Charleston SC information on how to prevent your SMB from falling prey to hackers.

Why cyberhackers target small businesses

New owners face many decisions when it comes to starting a business. Many neglect cybersecurity measures. If they don’t focus on strengthening their defenses, hackers may be able to gain entry points. This can pose a serious problem. According to the U.S. National Cyber Security Alliance, 60% of SMBs will fail within six months after a cyberattack.

Towergate Insurance found that SMB owners often underestimate their risk levels. 82% of SMB owners said they are not targets for attack. Researchers found that they believe this because they don’t feel they have anything to steal.

Stephen Cobb, senior security researcher at antivirus software firm ESET, stated that SMBs are in hackers’ cybersecurity sweet spot because they have “more digital assets to target than an individual consumer, but less security than larger enterprises.”

Add to that the cost of implementing effective defenses and you’ve got a recipe for intrusions. Security breaches can cause severe damage to SMBs, so owners will be more inclined to pay ransom to retrieve their data. SMBs are often used as a way for attackers to gain access into larger companies.

Cybersecurity attacks to be on the lookout for

Hackers, regardless of the target, aim to access sensitive information, such as credit card numbers, to gain access to companies. An attacker can exploit an individual’s identity in a variety of ways if they have enough information.

Understanding the various methods hackers use to access information is one of the best ways you can prepare for an attack. This is not an exhaustive list, but it is something that business owners need to be aware of in order to avoid cybercrime.

APT: APTs (advanced persistent threat) are long-term targeted attacks that allow hackers to penetrate networks in multiple stages in order to avoid detection. Once they gain access to the target network, the attackers work to stay undetected and maintain their control over the system. If an attack is detected and fixed, attackers will have other ways to gain access to the system.

DDoS is an acronym for distributed denial-of-service. DDoS attacks are when a server is deliberately overloaded with requests, and the server shuts down the target website or network system.

Inside attack: When someone with administrative privileges (usually from within the company) purposely misuses their credentials to gain confidential company information. If former employees leave the company on poor terms, they can pose a threat. It is important that your business has a procedure in place to immediately revoke access to company data if an employee is fired.

Malware: A generic term that refers to “malicious code” and includes any program installed on a target’s computer with an intent to damage it or gain unauthorized access. There are many types of malware, including viruses, trojans, ransomware, spyware, and worms. This information is crucial because it will help you decide what kind of cybersecurity software you require.

Man in the middle (MitM attack): In a normal transaction, two people exchange goods or, in the case e-commerce, digital data. Hackers who employ the man in the middle technique of intrusion use malware to interrupt the flow of data and steal sensitive data. This happens when one or more people conduct transactions over an unsecure public Wi-Fi network. Here, attackers have installed malware to help sort through data.

Password attack: There’s three types of password attacks. A brute-force attack involves guessing passwords until the hacker gains access; a dictionary attack uses a program that tries different combinations of words; and keylogging which tracks keystrokes of a user, including passwords and login IDs.

Phishing: Phishing is the most common form of cybertheft. It involves stealing sensitive information such as login credentials and credit cards information via a legitimate-looking website. These details are often sent to unsuspecting people in an email. Spear Phishing, a sophisticated form of this attack, requires deep knowledge about specific individuals and social engineering in order to gain their trust and penetrate the network.

Ransomware: Ransomware infects your computer with malware and demands payment. Ransomware can lock you out of your computer, demand money to gain access, or threaten to publish your private information if it doesn’t pay a certain amount. Ransomware is one the most popular security threats.

SQL injection attack: Web developers have used structured query language (SQL), as their main coding language, for more than 40 years. Although a standard language has been a huge benefit to the internet’s development it can also make it easy for malicious code or other code to get onto your website. SQL injection attacks on servers can allow bad actors to access sensitive information, modify databases, download files and manipulate devices.

Zero-day attack: Zero day attacks can be devastating for developers. These are exploits in software or systems that attackers discover before security personnel and developers become aware of them. These exploits may go undiscovered for many months or years before they are discovered and fixed.

How to protect your networks

As more businesses expand online, so will the demand for strong cybersecurity measures.

Small businesses need to make sure their networks are protected against all types of attacks. This generally means that they should install any of the basic security software on the market. Each one has a different level of effectiveness.

Antivirus software is the most popular and can protect against all types of malware.

An additional layer of protection can be provided by a hardware- or software-based firewall. It prevents unauthorized users from accessing computers or networks.

Cobb recommends that businesses take three additional security measures in addition to the more basic tools.

• The first is a backup solution that allows for easy recovery of any information lost or compromised during a breach.
• Encryption software is used to protect sensitive data such as financial statements and client/customer information.
• To reduce the risk of password cracking, the third option is two-step authentication.
• It’s a good idea, once you have started to think about your options, to do a risk assessment. This can be done either yourself or with help from an outside firm.

Best practices in cybersecurity

Small businesses must not only implement a software-based solution but also adopt certain technological best practices to protect themselves.

• Make sure your software is up-to-date. Cobb stated that hackers are always scanning for security flaws and that if they don’t find them quickly, it can greatly increase your chance of being targeted.
• Educate your employees. Your employees should be educated about the many ways cybercriminals could infiltrate your system. You can help them recognize the signs of a breach, and teach them how to keep safe while using your company’s network.
• Formal security policies should be implemented. To secure your system, it is important to establish and enforce security policies. Everyone should think about protecting the network as anyone who uses it could be an attacker’s endpoint. Seminars and meetings should be held regularly on cybersecurity best practices. These include using strong passwords and identifying and reporting suspicious email. Activating two-factor authentication and clicking links or downloading attachments.
• Practice your incident response plan. Your company may be the victim of a cyberattack, despite your best efforts. It’s crucial that your staff is prepared to deal with the aftermath of a cyberattack if it happens. Attacks can be identified quickly and stopped before they do too much damage.

All of this can be daunting for a small business owner or manager. SpartanTec in Charleston SC is here to assist you. Call SpartanTec, Inc. to discuss how you can protect your company from cyberattacks. It is not a matter of if but when an attack will happen.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Charleston, SC 29407
843-418-4792
https://manageditservicescharleston.com/

Serving: Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Columbia, Wilmington, Fayetteville, Florence, Charleston

Best Cybersecurity Practices For Organizations

To achieve optimal health and well-being, there are many things you can do. These include flossing, meditation, eating green vegetables, scheduling a colonoscopy, and even scheduling your appointment for blood work.

The confusion is compounded by the fact that recommended practices change as people age and their health needs change, as well as as as medical science advances. Or more recently, a pandemic.

To achieve optimal computer security, there are also many things you can do. The process of achieving the best cybersecurity posture is not easy. There are many recommendations, and constantly changing threat landscapes. A good IT security framework and cybersecurity standards can be helpful in organizing and managing a cyber hygiene program. They use established policies, processes and practices to prioritize and set priorities.

Checklist Organizations Can Use To Improve Cybersecurity

Allow listing/block listing

You can control which websites, applications and email addresses are allowed and not. Two methods of controlling access are blacklisting and whitelisting. This allows users to access a limited number of files, processes, and applications. With employee training from SpartanTec in Charleston you can find out the pros and cons of each method.

Access control and authentication

Cyber hygiene is incomplete without authentication. This is the process of confirming that a user is who they claim to be. Organizations can choose between at least six types to secure their networks.

Knowledge-based authentication is the most basic. It requires that a user share pre-established credentials such as a username, password, or PIN. A good practice is to require at least two authentication factors. These include a password and a unique code that is sent to the user’s email address or cellphone.

Biometric authentication uses biological identifiers such as fingerprint scanning and facial recognition. Other authentication options include certificate-based, token-based authentication, single sign-on and token-based authentication.

Cybersecurity hinges on access control and authentication — the ability of certain users to be verified and admitted while excluding others.

Common access control mechanisms are role-based access control which grants network permissions based upon a user’s formal position within an organization and the principle of less privilege which allows users access only to the resources they need to perform their job.

IT security professionals must regularly review the user access entitlements to make sure that no one is granting them inappropriate or out-of-date privileges. This could lead to a compromise in overall security.

Backup strategy. Create a backup strategy to ensure mission-critical data is stored in a secure place and regularly duplicated. Experts recommend the 3-2-1 rule for backup. This requires three copies of data stored on two media types, such as tape, disk, and cloud (preferred). One copy should be kept off-site if not using cloud backup.

Cloud access security broker (CASB). A CASB is a cloud access security broker (CASB) that should be implemented by any organization that depends on IaaS/PaaS/SaaS. CASB software allows secure connections between end-users and the cloud.

It enforces enterprise security policies such as authentication, encryption and data loss prevention. Alerting, malware detection, and logging are all possible with CASB software. A CASB provides greater visibility for cloud-based apps by employees and gives organizations greater control over cloud-based data security.

Management of cybersecurity assets

Protecting IT assets requires first knowing they exist. Cybersecurity asset management is a subset IT asset management (ITAM). It involves the discovery, inventory and management of assets in an organization with the aim of protecting them. This is a difficult task for three reasons.

1. It is logistically impossible to keep track of IT assets in an enterprise today because of the sheer volume and variety.
2. The corporate attack surface expands minute by minute because of short-lived temporary ephemeral entities or virtual entities, such as containers, microservices, virtual machines and containers.
3. ITAM tools are often not able to reach areas of an organization’s environment, such as smart facilities equipped with IoT devices.

Despite these difficulties, cybersecurity asset management can be done, however, it may require outside assistance from companies such as SpartanTec, Inc.

Encryption. Encryption is used to protect sensitive corporate data in transit and at within the organization.

Endpoint security. Endpoint security. In today’s workplace, many endpoint devices go beyond the traditional security perimeter. This requires ia process to identify, manage, and secure devices ranging in size from PCs to IoT Nodes.

Management strategy and incident response. To minimize the risk to an organization’s business from a security incident, it must have a pre-established incident response (IR), and management strategy. An IR team must have a mix of legal, executive, legal, and operational expertise.

Data breaches can cause financial losses as well as operational disruptions and reputational damage. This group records the who, what and when of its anticipated IR. It also creates a plan to guide in future crises.

Network segmentation. Segmentation of the network restricts how far cybercriminals are able to move, if they manage to penetrate a network. This will reduce the impact and extent of an attack.

Password policy. Hackers are open to using simple or recycled passwords. By establishing expectations, rules and requirements around user credentials, a company’s password policy can help protect enterprise security.

Patch management. The flossing of cyber hygiene is patch management. While everyone knows it’s important, not all do. Failure to floss can increase your risk of developing heart disease. However, failure to patch security breaches increases your risk.

Recent surveys found that 60% of data breach victims admitted they could have prevented their attackers from accessing their systems by simply patching known security holes. The stakes are high so it is important to learn and follow best patch management practices.

Many technologies, including CASBs and firewalls, VPNs and Secure Access Services, can be used to provide secure connectivity for users regardless of their physical location.

Training in security awareness. Mike Chapple, senior director of IT services delivery at the University of Notre Dame, suggests that employees be educated about the critical role they play in mitigating cybersecurity risk by creating a comprehensive cybersecurity training program.

Management of security logs. Security programs are only as good as their ability to detect suspicious or inappropriate activity in the IT environment. According to Michael Cobb, security logging is “the heartbeat of any security strategy.”

It’s not easy, however. Security log management best practices include logging and storing the correct events, assuring their accuracy and integrity, analyzing log data to find problems, and using log tools to manage the event volume.

Security monitoring. Security monitoring. Regularly scan the network for vulnerabilities and threats, including open ports that hackers could use to launch port scan attacks. Use tools like SIEM or vulnerability scanners. Regular scanning and monitoring improves cyber hygiene, flagging both active threats and weak points that could allow attackers to gain access.

Cyber hygiene and email security

Despite the rise in popularity of collaboration platforms like Zoom and Microsoft Teams, most organizations still use email as their primary method of communication. Cybercriminals still use email to gain access to corporate networks and data, making it a very popular attack vector.

Email security refers to a variety of techniques, technologies and practices that prevent cybercriminals from gaining unauthorized access to email accounts or message content. Email security, like all cyber hygiene measures is shared responsibility by individuals and organizations.

Clear, concise and informative policies set cultural norms for safe email use and establish behavioral expectations. It is important to clearly define email’s inherent risks and dispel any security concerns employees may have about using this ubiquitous technology.

IT leaders need to understand the importance and benefits of email security protocols. Further reducing the threat of phishing or BEC attacks can be achieved through antimalware, antispam and email security gateways.

Good cyber hygiene isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach. It is a dynamic mix of practices, habits and initiatives from users and organizations with the goal to achieve and maintain the best possible security posture.

We all know creating a good hygiene schedule is important for your health. Creating a cyber hygiene schedule is even more important for your companies health. If this seems intimating or even impossible, give SpartanTec in Charleston a call. We can show you how to make the impossible – possible with employee training and a continuity plan.

SpartanTec, Inc.
Charleston, SC 29407
843-418-4792
https://manageditservicescharleston.com/

Serving: Woodhaven, Lighthouse Point, Farmington, Lynnwood, Hillside, Oak Forest, Oceanview, Mount Pleasant, Green Acres, Northbridge