Cybersecurity has become the main focus of both small and large businesses, as the number of security breaches and cyber-attacks continues to increase at an alarming rate. To ensure business progression and success, it is essential to take the measures required to improve cybersecurity and make a robust business continuity plan. Contrary to common business beliefs, small and medium-sized businesses are often at greater risk as their security system is easier to breach & penetrate.
According to the U.S. National Cybersecurity Alliance, more than 60% of small businesses fail to sustain their businesses for even six months following a cyber-attack. Besides this, the Ponemon Institute has stated that it takes small businesses about $690,000 to recover from the cybersecurity incident. This recovery cost climbs up to over $1 million for medium-sized companies.
The recovery costs aren’t the only things to worry about as there are myriads of other business complications associated with cyber-attack including legal fees, loss of reputation, and damage to business progression. This advocates the need to aware and educate the employees with the fundamental knowledge of cybersecurity by capitalizing on the opportunity to learn cybersecurity online.
5 Ways to Improve Your Cybersecurity
Here are the five ways both small and large businesses can win this uphill battle against the cybercriminal by improving their standards of cybersecurity:
- Two-Step Authentication Method
Two-step authentication is perhaps the easiest and most effective way to improve cybersecurity without having to overspend. This method implements an additional layer of security on business and personal passwords, and help strengthen and protect the root cause of the majority of cybersecurity attacks, passwords.
That’s why this security enhancement strategy has become the gold standard for many businesses and is avidly followed by many tech giants including Microsoft, Apple, and Google. This security solution is not only easy to implement but also simple to customize, and that’s the reason why it is adaptable with every unique kind of business.
- Keeping System & Software Up to Date
Outdated software and system give birth to many security vulnerabilities and allows cybercriminals an easy passage into the business database. The best way to resolve this security issue and fix this vulnerability is by keeping system and software up to date. This simple solution can drastically improve the cybersecurity of your business enterprise and it hardly costs anything.
However, to make sure the system and software are kept up to date, it is essential to raise awareness among the workforce about its significance. This can be achieved by enabling the employees to learn cybersecurity online and understand the importance of these simple vulnerability fixes.
- Virtual Private Networks (VPNs)
Virtual private networks are designed to improve the standards of network security in a business enterprise. Using generic network solutions is certainly not an option as it only leads to cybersecurity issues and data security breaches. That’s why it is essential to switch to virtual private networks before it is too late.
Nowadays, there is a greater need to implement virtual private networks as businesses are becoming more and more mobile. Employees and users now often work remotely, and this amplifies the risks of cyber-attacks. By using virtual private networks, businesses can consistently maintain high-standards of network security without compromising on business’s mobility needs.
- Empowering the Security Team & Workforce
Undoubtedly, the most effective way to improve cybersecurity is by empowering the workforce and providing the security teams with the knowledge & resources required to battle against cybercriminals. Only a technically-aware and educated workforce knows the critical dos and don’ts of cybersecurity and knows how to respond effectively in the event of a cybersecurity incident. The lack of awareness of the employees and inattentiveness are the root causes of the majority of cybersecurity attacks.
That’s why it is essential to empower the workforce with the required technical know-how by providing them with the resources required to learn cybersecurity online. In the world of cybersecurity, prevention and protection hold the utmost importance, and empowering the workforce is one of the most effective ways to improve the standards of cybersecurity. For instance, cybercriminals often use phishing to penetrate security defenses, and only a properly trained workforce can identify and report such phishing incidents before it transitions into a massive cybersecurity issue.
- Adopt a Comprehensive Cybersecurity Plan
The importance of adopting a comprehensive cybersecurity plan can never be undermined. Many businesses believe firewalls and security solutions are where cybersecurity starts & ends. That’s not true, a comprehensive cybersecurity plan also includes incident response strategies and business continuity plans needed to help businesses regain momentum following a cybersecurity attack.
A comprehensive cybersecurity plan is the only way to battle the evils of cybersecurity. This includes prevention and protection and an emphasis on risk assessment, threat mitigation strategies, and problem resolution plans. To help businesses & employees understand the importance of a comprehensive cybersecurity plan, it is best to leverage online learning opportunities.