Cyber Security - Everyone's Obligation

Is Cyber Security Everyone's Responsibility?

Cyber Security is no longer just a matter of concern to the security staff of a company. It’s implicated on everyone, as anyone now can become a victim.

Cyber Security has taken a different landscape. Perpetrators are using more sophisticated schemes to breach information. More attacks are becoming highly targeted on specific users, such as phishing attacks on Office 365 users. Attackers are also evolving to take advantage of workplace technological changes such as cloud computing which not many people are aware of. Not to mention social engineering, with sophisticated methods of taking advantage of human error to gain access to buildings, office rooms and even server rooms.

As of now, network security is composed of more than safeguarding data, web applications and system organisation. It is now essential to have employees educated about cyber security as they could potentially be the weak links to hackers.

The short answer is yes, everyone in your organisation has some level of responsibility to be aware of the risk of poor cyber security practices.

So What Should You Do To Enhance Cyber Security?

Make Cyber Security Awareness a Culture In Your Organisation

Employees are the main resource in any organisation, generating income is often the main objective, this cannot not be done at the expense of risking the organisation. Establishing correct frameworks and security awareness training programs will go a long way in ensuring there’s an effective layer of defence.

By extending this knowledge and responsibilities to employees, organisations can rest assured that they will prevent complex cyberattacks and save the company from financial and legal damages.

It should be a mantra in the organisation that cyber security should be among the top objectives in the organisation. It should include what the employees should be aware of, what is expected to be seen, and the best practices in case of any penetration.

According to IBMs Cyber Security Intelligence Index 95% of cyber security breaches are primarily caused by human error. Modern cybersecurity awareness involves making the human security wall more knowledgeable about the latest threats and how one can stop them.

Make Sure You Don’t Overshare

The three main factors sporting cyberattacks are the human factor, identity, and network vulnerabilities. Many people, including organisations, are sharing private information publicly, hence, exposing themselves to phishing attacks.

The goal of such attacks is to deceive one into stealing financial funds or identities and access the organisation that employees have been entrusted with. Once a hacker gains access to an employee’s identity, then accessing the organisation’s information becomes easier.

Employees use the internet to access online services, shop online, or interact with people on social media. It’s therefore, an important mandate to ensure employees learn how vicious cyber criminals are into accessing any information they can. Studies show that hackers spend 90% of their time performing reconnaissance of their targets before an attack.

Regular Checks

To ensure that your employees are doing the right thing, you should always make sure staff are up to date and aware of the risk, by conducting random phishing simulations, you can see just how at risk you are as well as highlighting areas of weakness within your organisation. An organisation is only as strong as its weakest member, it is important to highlight these areas in practice.

Testing your employees by sending fake phishing emails or fake scams will determine whether they are up-to-date with the company’s strict rules. In case of poor performance, measures can be put in place, these simulations should be used as a learning opportunity for your organisation.

What Can One Do To Be More Cyber Aware?

It takes one mistake from an employee to put the entire security of the company at risk. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in the workplace, it all begins at home. Making staff aware of the risks in general will allow them to spot the potential risk to your organisation.

What Can Be Done To Safeguard Yourself At Home ?

1. Use antivirus and antispyware software to protect yourself from potential malware
2. Update your apps and software to ensure all bugs are fixed and there’s no way through
3. Set up strong firewalls
4. Create strong passwords and use password manager tools to safeguard yourself from any breach
5. Report and delete any suspicious emails
6. Always do routine backups in case of any breach that you could not avoid.
7. Minimise personal information online
8. Check and recheck privacy settings on all social apps
9. Avoid public Wi-Fi and use VPNs if necessary.

How Can You Safeguard Yourself In the Office?

1. Train employees to always be alert about cyberattacks
2. Come up with strict policies when it comes to the cybersecurity space
3. Conduct security audits on a regular basis, such as double-blinded pen testing strategies
4. Educate your employees about the risk of IOT in revealing their identity.
5. Create key frameworks for safe password management
6. Invest in the best security software and team there is
7. Use two-factor or multi-factor authentication
8. Encrypt your data when sending and receiving
9. Always carry out automatic backups
10. Always have a disaster-recovery plan. This can also be attributed to regular backups
11. Update all software.
12. Stay in compliance with all security regulations

CyberCrowd are cyber security and data protection specialists, we work with organisations of all sizes providing services to help improve your security posture and work on a proactive rather than reactive approach. If you would like to learn more about what we do and how we could help you, please Contact us today.