October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which is a great time for companies to ask themselves what they are doing to make security their priority. When you hear “Cybersecurity First,” it is a call for businesses to build security into their products and processes.
Cybersecurity should not be an afterthought. Let’s look at some of the reasons cybersecurity needs to be your company’s top priority.
Employees Are Your First Line of Cybersecurity Defense
When it comes to cybersecurity, arming your employees with the tools they need to keep the organization safe is your first line of defense. If they understand how to identify and avoid cybersecurity risks, it significantly lowers the chance that you will fall victim to an attack. Phishing attacks, for example, account for more than 80% of reported security incidents.
To help employees understand cybersecurity risks and prevent attacks, you can set up security awareness training for both existing and new employees. By making cybersecurity training a part of employee onboarding, you can set a precedent for new employees to protect one of your most important assets – your company’s data.
Plan for Cyber Protection Before You Buy
A managed firewall is a key play in keeping your business safe from internet-based threats. 63% of companies said their data was potentially compromised within the last twelve months due to a hardware or silicon-level security breach. While a managed firewall service can help combat these threats, you should also do your part to minimize risks. This comes into play, for example, when downloading new applications to company devices. As an added layer of protection before you download a new product online, do your research to ensure that the product is safe.
Take Cybersecurity Measures Immediately When Setting Up New Devices
When you purchase a new company device, make plans to make it secure before you connect it to your company’s network. As a best practice, when you set up a new hardware device or app, consider your security and privacy settings. A great place to start, for example, is to immediately update default passwords for a new laptop. This simple step helps keep your new endpoint secure.
Walk the Walk and Talk the Talk About Cybersecurity
One of the most effective ways to prioritize cybersecurity is to help keep it front of mind for your employees. You can keep cybersecurity at the forefront for everyone through your daily communications. You can share cybersecurity tips through email, talk about cybersecurity issues in the headlines, remind staff about upcoming cybersecurity training during meetings and even share success stories of threats that your employees avoided. The more you walk the walk and talk the talk about cybersecurity, the more likely it will be a priority for your company.
If you would like to find gaps in your cybersecurity, we offer a free ransomware evaluation in the month of October. Learn more here.