In 2023, cybersecurity remains a top priority for businesses. As threats continue to evolve and technology advances at an unprecedented pace, implementing robust security measures is crucial. Numerous companies have faced hefty fines or even closure due to a single security breach. The risks—from ransomware to phishing attacks—are too significant to overlook and can jeopardize the very existence of your business. Effective prevention is essential, and in this article, we will explore:
What is Cyber Attack?
A cyber attack is a focused exploitation of your business technology systems and network. Cyber attacks use malicious code to compromise your computer, logic, or data and steal, leak, or hold your data hostage. Cyber attack prevention is essential for every business and organization, especially if you have important information in your database. That is why you need a Managed Services Provider at your service!
Here are some examples of common cyber-attacks and types of data breaches:
- Identity theft, fraud, extortion
- Malware, phishing, spamming, spoofing, spyware, trojans, and viruses
- Stolen hardware, such as laptops or mobile devices
- Denial-of-service and distributed denial-of-service attacks
- Breach of access
- Password sniffing
- System infiltration
- Website defacement
- Private and public Web browser exploits
- Instant messaging abuse
- Intellectual property (IP) theft or unauthorized access
10 Ways a Managed IT Services Provider Can Prevent Cyber Attacks
In today’s digital landscape, cyber threats are ever-present and continually evolving. A Managed IT Services Provider (MSP) is crucial in safeguarding your organization from potential attacks. An MSP can significantly reduce the risk of cyber incidents by implementing best practices and advanced security measures. Here are ten essential strategies that an MSP can utilize to protect your business:
1. Train Your Staff
One of the most common ways cybercriminals access your data is through your employees. They’ll send fraudulent emails impersonating someone in your organization and will either ask for personal details or access to certain files. Links often seem legitimate to an untrained eye, and it’s easy to fall into the trap. This is why employee awareness is vital. One of the most efficient ways to protect against cyber-attacks and all types of data breaches is to train your employees on cyber attack prevention and inform them of current cyber attacks.
They need to:
- Check links before clicking them
- Check email addresses from the received email
- Use common sense before sending sensitive information. If a request seems odd, it probably is. It’s better to
- Check via a phone call with the person in question before actioning the “request.”
- Leaf can provide bespoke cyber awareness training for organizations of all sizes. Contact us to find out more.
2. Keep Your Software and Systems Fully Up to Date
Often, cyber-attacks happen because your systems or software aren’t fully up to date, leaving weaknesses. Hackers exploit
these weaknesses, so cybercriminals exploit these weaknesses to gain access to your network. Once they are in – it’s often too late to take preventative action. To counteract this, it’s smart to invest in a patch management system that will manage all software and system updates, keeping your system resilient and up to date.
3. Ensure Endpoint Protection
Endpoint protection protects networks that are remotely bridged to devices. Mobile devices, tablets, and laptops connected to corporate networks give access paths to security threats. These paths need to be protected with specific endpoint protection software.
4. Install a Firewall
There are many sophisticated data breaches; new ones surface daily and make comebacks. Putting your network behind a firewall is one of the most effective ways to defend yourself from any cyber attack. A firewall system will block any brute force attacks made on your network and systems before it can do any damage, something we can help you with.
5. Backup Your Data
In the event of a disaster (often a cyber attack), you must have your data backed up to avoid serious downtime, loss of data, and serious financial loss. We also provide cloud services for that reason.
6. Control Access to Your Systems
Believe it or not, one of the attacks that you can receive on your systems can be physical; having control over who can access your network is really, really important. Somebody can enter your office and plug in a USB key containing infected files into one of your computers, allowing them access to your entire network or infecting it. It’s essential to control who has access to your computers. Having a security system installed is a very good way to stop cybercrime as much as break-ins!
7. Wifi Security
Who doesn’t have a wifi enabled device in 2022? And that’s exactly the danger, any device can get infected by connecting to a network, if this infected device then connects to your business network, your entire system is at serious risk. Securing and hiding your wifi networks is one of the safest things you can do for your systems. With developing more and more every day, thousands of devices can connect to your network and compromise you.
8. Employee Personal Accounts
Every employee needs their own login for every application and program. Several users connecting under the same credentials can put your business at risk. Having separate logins for each staff member will help you reduce the number of attack fronts. Users only log in once daily and will only use their own logins. Greater security isn’t the only benefit, you’ll also get improved usability.
9. Access Management
One of the risks of a business owner and having employees is installing software on business-owned devices that could compromise your systems. Having managed admin rights and blocking your staff from installing or accessing certain data on your network is beneficial to your security. It’s your business; protect it!
10. Passwords
Having the same password set up for everything can be dangerous. Once a hacker figures out your password, they now have access to everything in your system and any application you use. Having different passwords set up for every application you use is a real benefit to your security. Changing them often will maintain high protection against external and internal threats.
Knowing where to begin when protecting your business from cybercrime and cyberattacks can be difficult. There’s so much information out there that it can become overwhelming, especially when the info is conflicting. You need a solution that’s right for your business and your employees. Get in touch with us today for a no-obligation cyber security assessment. We can help kickstart your journey to becoming secure.
Talk to Circle MSP today, one of the leading Managed IT Services providers, to find out how we can help you secure your network and prevent cyber attacks.