In todays ever more connected world, it is difficult to imagine a company that does not have the relevant information technology infrastructure in place.
In todays ever more connected world, it is difficult to imagine a company that does not have the relevant information technology infrastructure in place.
Unfortunately, as this volume of connections and inter-connections grows exponentially, so does the threat from external forces; both hostile and malicious but also simply inadvertent.
So what does a company do in a world with an ever increasing cyber threat?
What can a CEO or IT Manager do to protect their companies future in the face of this ever-increasing tide of disruptive events online?
Well, there are some simple steps that each and every CEO and IT manager can take to minimize the potential for disruption in their companies future.
The first, and by far the most important single step to take is in protecting your company's data. This means taking all possible steps to secure your data with technology that can be seen as a 'first line of defense' against data loss or theft.
This includes but is not limited to: antivirus software, firewalls, anti-malware software and encryption programs.
Data security is absolutely paramount to the future of any company. Data theft or loss can lead not only to financial loss but also damage to your companies reputation within the market place; leading to potentially crippling future financial losses.
This does not even take into account what could happen if your company is found to be sending sensitive information from one country to another. This would open your business up to data interception by both the US and UK, which could cause potentially even greater damage.
The responsibility for data security does not just lie with the CEO or IT Manager though; everyone has a part to play in protecting their companies data.
This includes staff within the company being made aware of what to look out for from a cyber-threat perspective.
As a CEO or IT Manager, you should consider taking extra steps to monitor your companies activity online so as to reduce the risk of data loss occurring in this way. This could include setting up extra security software on all devices that have access to your companies network or data.
Make sure that staff are not sending information via email, as this is one of the most common ways in which data breaches occur. The safest form of communication would be through face to face meetings with all relevant parties present, making sure that no third-parties have access to sensitive information about your company.
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Cyber attacks on companies are becoming increasingly common as more and more people across the globe gain access to information online. With this increasing number of cyber-attacks, there also comes an increase in the severity of these attacks; from simple viruses and malware to full blown data hacks into your companies servers through to ransomware.
The first, and by far the most important single step to take is in protecting your company's data. This means taking all possible steps to secure your data with technology that can be seen as a 'first line of defense' against data loss or theft.
This includes but is not limited to: antivirus software, firewalls, anti-malware software and encryption programs.
Data security is absolutely paramount to the future of any company. Data theft or loss can lead not only to financial loss but also damage to your companies reputation within the market place; leading to potentially crippling future financial losses.
This does not even take into account what could happen if your company's sensitive information was intercepted or hacked by a third-party. Even something as simple as losing a laptop with sensitive company data on it can be enough to cause significant problems, let alone being hacked by a cybercriminal who has the knowledge and access to expose you within your industry.
Yet even with so many threats from cyber criminals, steps should also be taken by your company to pro-actively monitor online activity, as well as making sure that everyone in your company is aware of what they can do to make their work and personal lives more secure online.
Just like with any technology update or upgrade; it takes time for people within an organization to become fully aware of the benefits and risks associated with protecting their company online, this is no different when it comes to improving cybersecurity measures in your company.
It will take time for staff within your organization to become more aware of all the potential threats that are present when they are working or browsing online.
This means that you cannot expect instant results from the changes that you make as a CEO or IT Manager to your company's online activity so as to improve the security of your company. What you can expect though, is to regularly review and measure progress in relation to the implementation of cybersecurity within your organization.
Also important for CEOs and IT Managers in reducing cyber risk in a business is knowing when a third-party should be brought into the loop when it comes to any cyber-attacks.
One of the most common mistakes in this regard is for a business to deal with a cyber-attack on their own, believing that they have it under control and then finding out that the attack spread further than originally anticipated or planned for just because you had not reached out early enough to third-party support and expertise on the matter.
This way; you can rest assured that your company will be able to deal with any cyber-attack as quickly and efficiently as possible without risking further exposure of your business and information online.
Cybersecurity refers to the protection of computers and computer networks from attack. It entails the safeguarding of information against theft, unauthorised changes or access, cybercrime and other unwanted incidents. [1]
Computer systems store a great deal of deeply personal information which could be used by unauthorized access to do significant damage. Online attacks are growing in frequency and severity, with no sign of slowing down. That means companies now need to protect their valuable data more than ever before.
Awareness training is something every business should implement to great effect. Employees are the first line of defense against cyber-attacks, so it is incredibly important that they are aware of how unsafe emails can be, for example. It's not just phishing emails either; ransomware attacks have become more common in recent years, with hackers using email attachments as their method of attack. [2]
Whilst awareness training is an essential application in reducing the risks which cyber-attacks pose, many CEOs and IT Managers run into difficulty when it comes to monitoring their companies online activity. This is where specialist monitoring services enter the equation, allowing them to have a constant check on what their staff are doing online.
Employees are often the source of data breaches, whether intentional or not, due to sending sensitive information via email, for example. If employees know that their companies have taken steps to monitor their online activities and they can be held accountable for this behavior it would help to reduce the number of incidents occurring.
One way to ensure that your company's data is secure, especially when it comes to sending sensitive information via email is to ensure that all employees are present in one room together. This makes it easier for your IT Manager or security personnel to monitor the activity taking place and act accordingly if something suspicious arises.
Many CEOs and IT Managers run into difficulty when it comes to monitoring their company's activity online. This is where specialist cybersecurity service providers offer a secure, reliable solution for remote monitoring purposes . [3]
To protect your data from cyber-threats, as a CEO or IT Manager you need to have a clear plan in place that includes increased cybersecurity awareness training for your staff, and the use of monitoring services to keep your online activity under constant surveillance.
There is no question; cybercrime will continue to be big business for hackers and viruses across the globe and it's important for companies to do their best to protect themselves from these threats. Cybersecurity is now becoming all-important, meaning that you need to have a plan in place that will help you monitor your company's online activity constantly.
Speak to a palmiq expert today if you are in need of Cybersecurity!
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