We have seen many sophisticated attacks on networks recently, and we want to ensure you know what to look out for, in order to prevent a cyber attack from hitting your business.
1. Think and check before clicking on a suspicious link. If you are not sure if an email you have received is legitimate, check with your IT provider just to be sure that it’s from a trusted sender.
2. Stick to your own devices! Don’t share your passwords or credentials with other people, even within the office, and never give anyone access to your computer, unless it’s your IT provider.
3. Lock your computer and devices when away from your desk. Always keep your computer and your phone locked when you’re away from it – nobody else should be able to access your device, unless you give them permission to do so.
4. Stay updated with the latest software patches and security updates. Older versions are more likely to suffer from a virus or hack, whereas newer versions are wrapped in more layers of security.
5. Keep track of your digital footprint. Make sure you are aware of all the places you have logged in or entered details online. This includes anywhere you have entered credit card details, and even social media accounts. Get rid of the redundant ones!
6. Set strong passwords! This can be what stands between your business and a cyber attack. It is crucial you set strong passwords (and even change them regularly) in order to protect your accounts. Your business should have an appropriate password policy that everybody follows.
7. Activate Two-Factor Authentication. 2FA will add another layer of security to your accounts, which makes it even harder for a hacker to access your network. It is a simple tool that takes almost no effort but can massively minimize cyber risks.
8. Manage user access. Well maintained user access controls can restrict the data, privileges, and applications that users can access, and give them permissions only to what they need. Ask your IT provider to help you implement these.
9. Train your people. Educating your peers and staff on what to look out for and the simple measures to put in place can make a world of a difference. You could be saving yourself thousands in recovery costs, if your staff know how to identify a threat.
10. Monitoring and incident management should be permanent measures. Having a plan in place to deal with an attack as an effective response will reduce the impact on your business.
11. Email & web filtering to eliminate the spam. These are basic measures that are crucial to your network's safety.
12. External testing and gaining certifications are both great ways to test the quality of your systems. Gaining certifications like Cyber Essentials Plus will give your business credibility and make your less susceptible to attacks.
If you have any doubt when receiving something foreign, please do not open, forward, click or take action. Please contact T-Tech support and we can confirm if it is safe.