The FBI reports that cybercrimes have increased by 300% since the start of the global pandemic. In fact, a study done at the University of Maryland revealed that a malicious attack happens every 39 seconds. Cyber hygiene is now more important than ever because of the rise in cybercrime and the evolving needs of organizations in today’s technological climate.

Many businesses may not know where to start when it comes to practicing good cyber hygiene, which is why we compiled several ways you implement cybersecurity best practices now.

Have the Right Cybersecurity Tools

Having the right tools is important to maintaining cyber hygiene. Using a managed security services provider (MSP) gives your organization access to the best tools and boosts your security posture. MSPs can enable firewalls, increase endpoint security, and provide other strategies to keep your business secure. Other services, such as 24/7 monitoring, help detect and mitigate attacks quickly.

Use Secure Passwords

The majority of breaches are caused by human error. One way to reduce this is to use secure passwords. If you’re not using a secure password today, it’s like leaving a key under the doormat for cyber criminals to come in as they please. Combining longer lengths, upper- and lower-case letters, and numbers and symbols produces passwords that are harder to crack. Plus, when paired with a password manager you’re securing your passwords even more.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Even secure passwords can be stolen or hacked, so the additional layer of security provided by MFA is very important. MFA requires either a token or a code to verify the identity of the user. This makes the credentials more difficult to hack. Users should always opt to enable MFA as a good cyber hygiene best practice.

Think Twice Before Accessing Public Wi-Fi

Let’s talk about a scenario that is all too familiar. You visit your favorite coffee shop or shopping center or take public transportation to work. They offer free Wi-Fi, so you click to stay connected. We get it, it’s a no-brainer, right? Not necessarily. Public Wi-Fi isn’t secure, so a hacker may steal information and even observe your online activity using a man-in-the-middle attack. When practicing good cyber hygiene, you should avoid connecting to public Wi-Fi.

Boost Your Education with Security Awareness Training

Security training and education is the best way to boost cybersecurity awareness. Employees can learn how to identify threats, avoid vulnerabilities, and learn better cyber hygiene best practices. Businesses should require employees to participate in continuous security awareness training to keep cybersecurity top of mind.

Just as good physical hygiene requires education and certain best practices, knowledge of cyber hygiene best practices can bolster your organization’s security posture. Find out more ways to stay secure with the TPx comprehensive cybersecurity guide.