You walk into work on a normal Tuesday and settle into your desk. As you open your laptop, you notice something odd—you’re unable to access your network. You try to reset your password, but nothing works. After some research, you realize you just became a victim of a cyber attack.
This nightmare scenario is becoming increasingly common with 2,220 attacks occurring per day. As cyber attacks become more frequent and sophisticated, your cyber security plan must be to combat it. But, with the right cyber security plan in place, your business can be prepared for anything before threats become invasive.
What Is a Cybersecurity Plan?
Without a plan, you’re telling cybercriminals that your business is an easy target. A cybersecurity plan is a set of guidelines, processes, and best practices you can use to protect your organization from cyber threats. It concludes the following:
1. Patching
When there are holes or vulnerabilities in the system, cyber attackers can and will exploit them. To protect your business from potential threats, regular patching of software is a must to ensure that all security flaws are addressed and fixed.
2. Monitoring
Continuously monitoring user activities allows businesses to proactively identify any malicious activity that may be present and take action accordingly instead of waiting for disaster.
3. Secure Network Infrastructure
Establishing secure protocols and rules for devices in your network, such as setting up proper authentication methods and firewalls, will act as extra padding and safeguard your system.
What Should a Cyber Security Plan Include?
Several elements should be in place for optimal cyber security:
Firewall and Antivirus Software
Firewalls and antivirus software protect against malicious threats, viruses and malware that can cause huge damage to your business. Using a firewall and antivirus software is an essential part of protecting your business.
Regular Backups of Data
Creating regular backups of data will help protect critical files from being lost not only from cyber attacks but hardware failures. Backups should be stored in an isolated location and tested regularly to ensure they are functioning properly at all times.
Training for Employees
88–95% of data breaches are caused by employee errors. You must train your employees on how to recognize phishing attempts and other malicious activities designed to extract sensitive information from them or gain access to the system. The consequences of having staff not properly trained in cybersecurity could be disastrous.
Authentication
Extra authentication security measures are like having an extra layer of armor for your business. Implementing two-factor authentication will give you the peace of mind that only authorized personnel are accessing your data and networks.
Best Practices for Creating a Cyber Security Plan
To properly protect an organization from potential cyber threats, it is important to follow best practices when creating a cyber security plan:
1. Creating a Team Responsible for Cyber Security: The security of a system is something to take seriously. Start with a dedicated team who is trained and alert on anything suspicious.
2. Establish an Incident Response Plan: Organizations should create a plan for responding to any incidents that may arise that includes detailed procedures on how to best respond and which team members need to be involved to mitigate the damage.
3. Identify and Prioritize Critical Assets: Identify any assets that are critical to operations and prioritize them in terms of risk level to help focus efforts on protecting these assets from potential threats.
4. Analyze Threats and Vulnerabilities: Organizations should analyze existing threats and vulnerabilities within the system and create strategies to address and mitigate them before it becomes a bigger issue.
5. Monitor System Activities: Don’t let suspicious behaviors and activities occur in your system without you noticing—monitor at all times to stay ahead of the cybercriminals.
6. Regularly Test the Security System: Organizations should regularly test the security system to ensure that it is functioning properly and identify any areas of improvement.
Stay Prepared with Telewire
The risks of not having a cyber security plan in place can be catastrophic, so it is important to make sure your business has the necessary measures in place to protect itself from potential threats.
Investing in a reliable managed security service provider such as Telewire can help to ensure that businesses stay prepared and protected from any cyber threats. Our services are designed to keep your data and systems secure, so you can have peace of mind knowing your business is safe at all times.
Contact us today for more information on how we can help protect your business against cyber attacks.
