Cybersecurity Awareness month is here, and is a great time to remember the importance of protecting our networks. Cybersecurity is a puzzle with many pieces; training your workers in awareness and best practices for cybersecurity is a key part of protecting your network, applications and data.. Read on to learn how to make your workers cybersmart in an age of increasing attacks.

 

Awareness is the First Step

Learning to be cybersmart involves common sense, being aware of threats and learning to protect against them. Ransomware, malware, phishing and more are part of the current threat landscape. Do your workers know how to identify a possible social engineering scheme, and how to report a phishing email? Are remote workers’ computers equipped with the latest anti-virus definitions, and the most current software versions? Do they know not to click on suspicious links? Passwords are another part of staying secure, passwords that are unique and easy to remember, and that are changed on a regular basis. Consistent training and reinforcement in these practices is the best way to make them part of your and your workers’ toolkit.

 

Awareness and Tools Go Together

Passwords, while still relevant, have been augmented with other tools for cybersecurity. Multi-factor authentication, which can involve more than one way of logging in, adds extra layers of security and ensures that only those authorized can access the system. Multi Factor authentication can be a one-time code delivered to email or via text, or it can be a biometric like a fingerprint. Multi-factor authentication has become more common over the years, and is a proven security method that goes beyond the simple username and password login. Other safeguards include operating system patches along with updated antivirus and anti-malware definitions. A combination of technical and human safeguards will help you keep your network secure and also remind your workers that they also play a vital role.
 
Awareness, though just the first step, is an important one. Combined with best practices and technical tools, it can help keep your network from being compromised. For more assistance, contact your trusted Focalized Networks advisor today.