With the world progressing towards adapting to the digital era, daily activities are streamlined and more convenient. We share our photos, videos, events, movements, and even identity digitally. The internet has provided us a means to communicate quickly and efficiently. It has become difficult to survive without technological solutions. The internet serves as a beneficial platform, and it connects people beyond borders. Still, on the contrary, there is an increasing fear of cybercrime.
The prior cases of cybercrime and its wide range of threats prevent many from using the internet to share sensitive data. We all have heard rumors about hackers stealing credentials and somewhat manipulating our identity as well.
Cybercrimes have been increasingly giving rise to the constant fear of stolen data and used for inappropriate purposes. It is not limited to stealing financial accounts and identity theft. Instead, it has a broad reach of exploitation. Businesses and other institutions need to protect themselves from unknown entities. But first, it is essential to understand what cybercrime is?
Cybercrime is a criminal activity that is attempted remotely via internet services. Cybercrime ranges from child abuse, security breaches to identity theft. Hackers usually commit a crime by targeting computer networks or devices.
In the modern era, businesses have stored their activities, data, financial transactions, and other crucial documents on the cloud and online servers. Thus, they must protect their valuable resources from external entities. The threats that an organization could face vary from novice to advanced hackers. However, there are several methods you can incorporate to protect sensitive company data.
Cybersecurity assessment
Before taking any steps in making arrangements for cybersecurity, assess the current status of a cybersecurity system. Periodically, cyber assessments are a core element of developing an effective cyber system. It identifies the loopholes that hackers can benefit from and exploit the information.
A viable strategy would be to build a team that monitors the security of your company data. Companies can hire individuals possessing masters in cyber security online as they have the knowledge and expertise to deal with security issues. After having a thorough assessment, the cybersecurity team develops precautionary measures to minimize the unwanted breach.
Below we have listed some viable techniques to protect your data from cyber-theft:
- Staff Training
To protect the data, you need to have well-trained employees. Hackers are consistent in finding ways to breach your system. The breach could be led unintentionally by an employee with weak passwords, phishing, or social engineering.
It is vital to train them on; how cybercriminals attempt to enter the system? How to identify suspicious emails or phone calls? Develop cybersecurity policies in the company and impose them on the task force. Also, encourage your staff to work as a team against cybercriminals.
- Update your software
A good practice is to keep your software updated. Any outdated software program is vulnerable. However, anti-virus programs update automatically, but other programs need a routine checkup to see missing patches or vulnerabilities. An important recommendation is to thoroughly sweep through the system once a week to hold back the unwelcomed entities.
- External Cyber intelligence
It is crucial to monitor external networks and inspect internal networks as well. Cyber intelligence plays a vital role in the inspection of cybercriminals. Cyber intelligence involves tracking, countering, and analyzing digital security threats.
It can serve as an initiative to bar cyber crimes from occurring. With access to cyber intelligence, one can get insight into the workings and develop contingency plans to draw the best measures.
- Incident response plan
You can use an incident response plan strategy to increase the protection walls for your security system. A good incident plan will pave the right path keeping everyone in the organization aware of the threats to face and roles to play. Furthermore, setting up firewalls increases the efficiency to neutralize the threat.
- Reliable VPN
When selecting your VPN to be cautious and take recommendations from a reliable source; it is a virtual private network. It makes a secure connection between your internet and computers. A virtual private network allows you to have a safe path and cloaks your data from hackers. They cannot see your financial activities and cannot steal your passwords. Using a VPN reduces the chances of breach hence protecting your data.
- Encryption Key
Nowadays, the most valuable business asset is data. Companies should keep it within as many firewalls as possible. One of the ways to keep it safe is by dividing and storing it in segments. The other step is to use encryption, similar to WhatsApp having end-to-end encryption for the user’s safety. So even if hackers manage to steal it, they are unable to decrypt it. Make a setting for daily data backups. You can use Backup as a Service (BaaS).
- Limitations on Company Computers
Make a strict policy of not installing unauthorized software on company computers and devices. Employees can only install software with the approval of system administration. In such a way, you will be able to avoid computer malware from attacking your computer. It will reduce the probability of accidental infection, which is mostly carried out by employees unintentionally.
Conclusion
People have been neglecting cyber-crime for years, but the truth states that it is inevitable, especially for large organizations. Security breaches to any business can be catastrophic, making it impossible for the company to recover afterward, even for those who don’t have a robust digital presence.
So, a business should protect its assets and resources with a proper security system that is not easy to breach. A viable solution is to hire a company to look after your data or build a team with the expertise to handle cybercrimes.
