3 Bad Habits In Cybersecurity To Avoid

In today’s world, cyber hackers are lurking around every corner, and businesses need to be as secure as possible. These hackers will stop at nothing to break through cyber defenses. That is why protecting your business from potential threats is so important.

There’s just one problem: many companies have outdated cybersecurity practices and certain bad habits that could potentially give hackers a helping hand. This article will discuss some bad habits you should avoid to lessen the likelihood of a cyber attack against your business.

1. Use Of Outdated Or Unsupported Software/Hardware

Hackers are increasingly finding ways to infiltrate computer systems and networks, and one of the biggest risk factors is using outdated and unsupported software and hardware. The danger you face is exponentially growing if your hardware or software isn’t up-to-date.

Every day, 450,000 new pieces of malware are detected. When companies patch software, they patch security flaws that make systems and networks vulnerable to malware and hackers who know how to exploit these flaws. Regarding hardware, when an operating system reaches its end of life (EOL), it's usual for companies to stop making improvements and limit security updates to only the most critical fixes - if any at all. This is the case with Windows 7 as of 2020.

2. Use Of Known, Reused, Or Default Passwords

Having secured credentials plays an important role in protecting a business against hackers. Unfortunately, known, reused, or default passwords are commonly used in businesses and are one of the biggest cybersecurity threats.

Malicious agents can access several company accounts if an employee uses the same password for multiple types of software. This risk is greater if sensitive information and networks are protected by the same password. Also, the prevalence of known and reused passwords used to secure accounts makes businesses increasingly vulnerable to brute-force attacks.

Hackers typically already know factory-default passwords. A 2016 study showed that a weak, stolen, or default password is involved in 63% of confirmed data breaches . Therefore, changing your factory-set passwords is a must.

3. Not Using 2FA

Businesses need more than "strong" passwords to protect networks from credential leaks. According to the 2021 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report, 85% of breaches featured a human factor, and 61% of those were credential-related . Even strong passwords can be cracked, and businesses that don’t implement 2FA are putting themselves at risk.

Two-factor authentication adds an extra layer of security, protecting businesses from the risks associated with stolen or compromised credentials. With this method, users must provide additional information to verify their identities before gaining access to business-related software, networks, and servers (e.g., a phone number or unique security code).

Avoid Bad Habits And Use Best Practices

Hackers are constantly getting more sophisticated and determined. Cybersecurity is an everyday challenge for many businesses. When it comes to cybersecurity, being informed is crucial, and it is important to have a good plan in place and keep it updated. To strengthen your cybersecurity, it is essential to avoid bad habits and to use best practices at all times.

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LeadingIT offers 24/7, all-inclusive, fast and friendly technology and cybersecurity support for nonprofits, manufacturers, schools, accounting firms, religious organizations, government, and law offices with 20-200 employees across the Chicagoland area.