In today’s business world, data security and computer protection in your company’s network are more important than ever. As the number of cyber attacks continues to rise, it’s important for companies to take steps to protect themselves. However, many companies are unaware of the vulnerabilities that make them susceptible to attack. Cyberstone understands the ever-increasing burden that is placed on an organization’s digital infrastructure — that’s why we’ve made it our mission to turn great Managed Service Providers into great Managed Security Service Providers.
Weak Passwords
One of the most common ways your company may be vulnerable to a cyber attack is due to the complexity of passwords used by yourself or other employees. Many people use the same password for multiple accounts so they don’t forget their login information, or use easily guessed passwords like “123456,” “qwerty”, or even just “password.” This makes it easy for cybercriminals to gain access to your accounts and sensitive data. Be sure to use strong, unique passwords for all your accounts, and change them regularly.
People also like to save their passwords across websites by relying on a browser’s built-in features (like a Chrome profile). While this is an easy solution, it ties back to more common passwords being easily guessed. A password manager solution stores them in a virtual ‘key chain,’ but it also has the ability to randomly generate a unique and complex password for each website you require a login for, making it nearly impossible for unauthorized access to your company’s assets.
Outdated Systems and Software
Software is constantly changing and cyber threats are evolving daily to exploit those changes. In the business world, this means you need to stay ahead of the curve in making sure you’re running the most up-to-date software and have enabled automatic updates across the board — on your web browsers, operating systems, and connected devices. It removes the human error of lagging behind on updating the most critical hardware and software components of your business and provides an easy and automatic line of defense from threats and vulnerabilities.
Vendors will also discontinue support for a program and may stop issuing software updates for it (known as end-of-life software). This means that you will need to find another system or software to replace it to prevent issues with compatibility and decreased system performance. Continuing to use it poses a massive risk to your company’s computer protection and will provide an easy access point for attackers to gain access to your network.
Ineffective Employee Training
It’s been estimated that data breaches and cyber threats due to employee training cost companies approximately $400 billion each year. Many companies don’t realize the importance of a current and robust cybersecurity training program, and many more have a hard time justifying the cost of keeping their training current. Your employees are the first line of defense against cyber attacks, so you don’t want them second-guessing their actions or decisions. If they know what a phishing email looks like, they’ll be much more likely to report it and/or delete it than open it and put your company’s network and resources at risk. Cyberstone understands this and has the resources to help your company formulate effective policy development toward employee training.
Lack Of Vulnerability Assessment
One of the most important things you can do to protect your business from cyber attacks is to conduct a vulnerability assessment. It can provide insight into which areas of your network’s security have the most weaknesses through detailed reports and proposed remedies. With the shift to a more remote workforce after the pandemic, companies have had to undergo a rapid digital transformation which has opened them up to increased attacks and more frequent cybersecurity breaches.
Vulnerability assessments are also performed to highlight liabilities in your company’s security network, allowing you to remediate them before cyber threats turn from potential to actual events. They should be performed at least quarterly or when new software and equipment are added or installed. Our assessments are carried out according to the NIST SP-800 115 standard and will identify your most critical areas of weakness.
Keep in mind that these are only four potential weak points in your company’s digital security, but they’re big components in keeping your network safe from outside threats. Cyberstone has been aiding companies in providing a qualified cybersecurity workforce and increasing cybersecurity awareness through vulnerability assessments and updated policy development, so contact us to see how we can best fit your needs.
Identify Threats Before They Harm Your Business!