The weak link in your cybersecurity

The three pillars of cybersecurity are: People, Processes, and Technology. Each part is critical to the security of any organization, however, many of us focus solely on the technology piece. We treat it like a “silver bullet” that will solve every security issue. 

As people, we naturally resist change. We like convention and the processes we’re used to. Unfortunately, that can make us the weak link in our company’s security, and it’s precisely why hackers target people. Just like a computer’s operating system is routinely updated to reflect the latest security and productivity standards, so should our operating systems! To that end, it’s vital that every person in your organization undergoes basic education! 

In the spirit of staying home and staying safe, we are focusing on four topics you can study from home to boost your security awareness. 

1. Password education: In light of National Password Day last week, make sure your passwords have at least 8 characters, do not base them on personal information like birthdays, pets, or family names (since that can easily be found online), and be sure to make a unique password for each login. For applications that don’t have Two-Factor Authentication capabilities, ask us about implementing Duo.
    
2. PhishLine: Last week we discussed phishing attacks and how they can devastate an organization. We administer a training software by Barracuda called “PhishLine,” which teaches users how to detect possible phishing attempts. PhishLine is a great, fun way of improving your defense against phishing.  
    
3. Website CMS training: For anyone who is responsible for editing or adding to their website, the lockdown is a perfect time to brush up the latest features. If your site uses plugins, make sure they are up to date. A large percent of website hacks start with a vulnerable plugin. 
    
4. Dark web scan: Cyber criminals often put stolen information for sale on the dark web. We have access to a tool that scans the dark web to see if any of your information has been compromised. We can then make a strategic plan if any passwords or usernames appear to be unsafe.  
    

Let us know if you would like a more in-depth conversation or if you want this training brought to your workplace! Local businesses can have a false sense of security due do the misconception that only the “big guys” are targeted. The reality is that 81% of breaches occur in small and medium-sized businesses!