Hackers are starting to become more sophisticated and creative in their attempts to break into protected security networks. While installing anti-malware on your company’s computers is definitely a step in the right direction, it is imperative to employ all possible best practices for computer safety in order to maximize security.
That’s why Savvior, the IT consulting experts in Pittsburgh, has compiled a guide to protecting your company from hackers and security breaches. Most of them are pretty simple and easy to follow. Above all, it is important to stay vigilant and guarded when it comes to potential security breaches.
1. Learn How to Come up With Strong Passwords and Employ Safe Password Practices
Passwords such as “1234” or “password1” make it way too easy for a hacker to break into your system. Adding symbols like “&$%” and numbers in a random order as well as capitalizing different letters can help strengthen a password. There are also random password generators available to help users come up with a difficult-to-guess password. While coming up with a complicated password is often tedious work, it is worth investing time should your company ever become at risk of being hacked.
Encourage employees to avoid using the same, or similar, passwords for multiple accounts. If a hacker manages to hack one account that uses the same password as all of your other accounts, they will have a much easier time breaking into them as well. Enforcing password changes after a specific period of time is another effective safe password practice that should be done by your company.
2. Install Protective Software
Installing anti-virus software, anti-malware, firewalls, and email filters on all company computers will also greatly reduce your company’s chances of becoming a victim of a security breach. Anti-malware protects computers by detecting and removing malicious software. For instance, if an employee opens a malicious email, the software will automatically detect the virus that has been released before removing it, keeping all sensitive information safe and secure.
3. Stay Up to Date on Current Security News
As we said before, hackers are constantly coming up with new methods for breaking into company security systems and stealing sensitive information. Phishing scams, emails that are sent to individuals to trick them into giving them sensitive information like passwords or account numbers, often follow similar trends and appear in the news. For instance, scammers posing as the IRS often send emails asking for financial information usually show up around tax season. Therefore, it is important to stay updated on any new hacking methods that have begun to pop up. This will help your company decide how they want to move forward and strategize how you want to address these new security breaches.
4. Utilize a Secure Wireless Connection
Operating on an open, unsecured Wi-Fi network is a disaster waiting to happen. Sensitive files, such as W-2’s and private contracts, are up for bait. Hackers will easily be able to use your company’s free access Wi-Fi to break into your system and compromise your whole network. Not only that, but your monthly internet bill will likely increase and your internet speed will slow down from all of the unknown people taking advantage of the Wi-Fi network.
5. Use Multifactor Identification
Multifactor identification is a method that requires a user to provide two or more pieces of evidence to an authentication machine to prove that they are the legitimate user of the account they are attempting to log into. This may involve entering a memorized password and a one-time password sent via email or a text message. More advanced methods may include swiping a card and entering a pin or scanning a fingerprint and answering a security question. ATMs use multifactor identification when they require a user to enter both their card and their pin in order to gain access to their bank account.
6. Make Sure Your Software is Updated to the Latest Version
While you should be updating your applications in order to enjoy improved performance and stability anyway, it is important to note the added protection that the updates give you. Hackers often look for outdated software containing unpatched security flaws in an attempt to take advantage of them. The fact that the security flaws found in these outdated versions are often released to the public only makes their job easier.
Adding extra security may not be the easiest or most convenient task to complete, but it is definitely preferable over having to deal with the fallout from a security breach. In order to keep sensitive files and information safe, it is critical that your company follows these cybersecurity best practices. For more information on how you can best protect your company, or if you want to consult further with a professional, contact our team of security experts at Savvior today.
