Cybersecurity at Work and at Home
Read this article to know how to take care of your cybersecurity both while at home and at work. Know the precautions to take along to prevent your personal and confidential data from leaking online.
Cybersecurity is the process of protecting your computer systems from malware or cyber-attacks and has become increasingly important globally as information technology has evolved and continues to do so.
Cybersecurity is the process of protecting networks, computers, and data. With billions of pounds lost annually to cybercrime, no company or individual can afford to put their data at risk.
If you think of the Internet of Things and how most people always have some sort of smart device on them, you can think of all the ways in which personal information and data are at risk. Online banking, password changes, account information breaches, fraud, and identity theft are just some of the few ways criminals can attack and destroy companies or an individual's livelihood.
Taking cybersecurity seriously and introducing security measures both at work and home should be on the top of your priority list. If it is not, ask yourself if you can afford a breach of data or finances and read on to equip yourself properly.Benefits of Cybersecurity
The major benefits of cybersecurity are the protection of your networks and data, consumer confidence and faster recovery if you have been the victim of a data breach or cyber-attack.
The first described benefit is obvious - protecting your equipment and data against costly attacks is the prime objective. This will save you time and money if you have proper systems in place to help protect your valuable systems and information.
If you have sensitive client information to protect, a data breach could cost you your reputation and clients or investors will lose confidence in your business and take theirs elsewhere. You are obligated to take your cybersecurity seriously and put measures into place to minimise your risk of an attack.
Lastly, if your cybersecurity measures are in place properly and managed on a continuous basis, faster recovery can be expected after a breach. This process will help minimise damage to networks or data, and cost less in time and money, than if an attack happened without proper security measures in place. Cybersecurity at Work
The importance of protecting work systems cannot be overstated. The advent of storing information digitally has called for stricter IT security regulations and systems. Cybersecurity continues to be the number one concern within many banking and government institutions.
Every company should have an Information Officer who is given the mandate to protect information within the company. As many institutions now collect and store the private information of consumers, all employees that work with such information should be aware of the threat cyber-attacks pose to not only the institution but the consumer as well.
It is a company's responsibility to educate these employees and provide cybersecurity training by tying up with online training providers like FindCourses to keep them up to date with the latest trends in IT security and to equip them with the knowledge needed to detect and stop threats in time. Sites like findcourses.com can assist you in finding the appropriate training course to help protect your company from hackers and cyber-attacks. Operational Costs
The cost of dealing with a breach of information can be calculated by, not only the operational costs it will occur to remedy a situation - the regulatory fines it will face - but the mistrust of the public too. Once a company has been the victim of a cyberattack, clients will prefer to place their money elsewhere if they have been previously 'burnt' by the breach of data. A company's reputation can be at stake which is just as costly as the fine it will have to pay to the regulatory bodies as punishment for not protecting the data as required.
Cyber attackers or hackers become more equipped and skilled every day and pose a huge threat to financial institutions especially. With the help of the internet, the dark web, and a growing amount of tech resources available to criminals, cyber-attacks are not only lucrative for the criminal, but easier to achieve. Hackers are becoming extremely sophisticated and data breaches are becoming more commonplace.
It has been said that if you are a custodian of data, you should expect that at some point, there will be a breach. The best defence against data breaches is the ability to detect and fix malicious activity quickly and effectively. Continuous Security Measures
Organisational processes and measures need to be in place to protect the integrity of systems and information. Regular checks and controls should be undertaken to ensure the security measures implemented are up to date and working properly. All breaches should be reported, attended to and remedied.
The prevention of theft and damage to information technology systems should be the priority of every employee, regardless of their title at a company. Your cybersecurity strength is only as strong as the uninformed and equipped employee.
As part of your company's induction, all employees should be educated on a cybersecurity module so that they can easily identify malicious emails, documents or processes, report them effectively and stop the damage as soon as possible.
All employees should be reminded annually through internal communications to be alert with data and to keep up to date with data breach trends that may be occurring. Constant vigilance and education are a great way to protect your assets and information. Informing and educating your entire workforce to play a role in IT security will save you thousands of pounds, as prevention is better than cure. Cybersecurity at Home
You can have cybersecurity measures in place at home too. Protect your computers, laptops, and devices by installing anti-virus software and renewing them annually. Remember to run scans often to detect threats that might have fallen through the cracks. Enable firewalls to add more punch to your security measures.
Keep your operating systems up to date, as these updates always contain security updates or fixes necessary to protect your tech. Always keep your web browsers up to date to avoid malicious code or exploits from unsavory websites or web services. Not updating your systems and browsers could leave you vulnerable to having your personal information compromised or stolen.
Use complicated passphrases instead of simple passwords to protect your financial and personal information from cybercriminals. Alternatively, consider using a password manager that randomises your passwords and remembers them for you so that you don't use the same password for your various accounts.
It is also crucial to not fall victim to phishing scams. Emails that seem to come from viable sources that ask you to update information on your accounts or services are an example of phishing scams. These emails will generally ask you to click on a link provided, to either verify or provide information that is sensitive to avoid being disconnected or removed from certain accounts. It is important to understand that your financial institution will never ask for this information on an email or via telephone.
Teach your children and family members how to do the same on their devices or computers at home, as education is a great way of not becoming a victim of cyber-crime.
You don't have to be tech-savvy or an IT professional to practice cybersecurity; it is a matter of doing some research, applying what you have learnt, and being vigilant at all times.
