Guest article by MDcentric Technologies
It’s hard to imagine the worst-case scenario happening to you. But that doesn’t stop residents and millions of other people from purchasing homeowner’s, renters, or auto insurance, does it? Just like any other type of insurance you invest in for a rainy day, your organization's data protection and cybersecurity should be no different. By staying proactive with data security, you can prevent a business-ending disaster from happening to you.
Here are seven strategies to prevent a security breach in your organization.
1) Take Inventory of Your Risks
Conduct a complete audit of your systems, including on-premises, cloud, and third-party IT assets that could have contact with your network. Pay attention to your endpoint security as well if you frequently have guests or clients accessing your network. Once you’ve taken stock of your infrastructure, prioritize and address any issues you find from most pressing to preventative.
2) Control User Access
Whenever possible, employees should only have access to the data they need for their positions, and sensitive data should only be accessible to authorized users. By limiting access to sensitive data, you’ll be able to limit the traffic within that area of your data and spot unusual activity with greater ease.
3) Keep Software Updated
We get it – updates can feel never ending and less than convenient. However, with hackers’ abilities to exploit weaknesses or find backdoors into systems, they’re a necessary evil to maintain security of not only your organization, but all users of the applications and software. Scheduling updates for after-hours is an easy way to remedy midday disruptions and maintain data protection.
4) Enforce BYOD Policies
Organizations thrive thanks to the use of smart devices like laptops, tablets, and smartphones. And while it’s tempting to let them use their own devices, it creates a wide variety of data and network security complications. If not simply to ensure employees don’t leave your organization with data you wouldn’t want walking out with them, you want to make sure all devices have proper encryption and endpoint security measures in place to prevent hackers from finding a backdoor past your otherwise sound security systems.
5) Strengthen Credentials
More than a handful of us will add the dreaded exclamation point to the end of a password to make it “unique” upon prompting to change it. However, this is a costly mistake that countless organizations have paid the price for. Unique passwords that are changed at frequent intervals are best practice and with encrypted password managers and data protection software available, it’s far more secure and feasible to enforce these policies with minimal pushback from employees.
6) Educate Employees
Ninety-five percent of cybersecurity breaches are due to human error, according to IBM. That’s why it’s vital to train your employees on the action plan surrounding identification of and reporting signs of a data leak or breach. When your employees fully understand and support initiatives such as email best practices, BYOD, password policies, and disaster recovery plans, your security will be stronger across the board.
7) Back Up Files
Regardless of how secure your data is, Mother Nature or ordinary accidents that damage hardware can pose a huge risk to your organization if you are not regularly backing up your data in separate locations, as well as in the cloud. But don’t just trust that they’ll be ready for you. You’ll want a specific, prioritized plan for rebuilding your infrastructure. Practice a specific plan to reimplement your system so you can dry run any errors or missing components you need to be aware of prior to the real deal.
Data Protection Done Right
Implementing and consistently monitoring an airtight cybersecurity plan is no easy task, and disasters don’t discriminate. MDcentric Technologies provides organizations with 360-degree, 24/7 protection against data leaks, disasters, and business disruptions. We offer our partners flexible, customized protection built with your industry and operations in mind. If you want to learn more about our services or better understand where your business stands against modern cyberthreats, contact us for your obligation-free security assessment. Together, we can keep your organization safe and your mind at ease.
Through the Center's money-saving partnership with MDcentric Technologies, Center members get enterprise-grade IT support at discounted, flat rates. Learn more.
Founded in 2002, MDcentric Technologies partners with security-conscious small- to mid-sized organizations, including nonprofits, to provide Managed IT Services, Infrastructure as a Service, Cybersecurity, and Telephone Services. MDcentric understands their nonprofit customers’ balance between supporting their missions through effective IT infrastructure and managing their budgets responsibly, and works with them to design value-conscious solutions oriented to their specific IT needs.
