Employees are the lifeblood of any business. They communicate with customers, run daily operations and establish a company culture that makes everyone proud to work for your organization.
But as great as your employees are, the truth of the matter is that they are only human; and humans make mistakes. Sadly, when those mistakes impact your company's cybersecurity it can be very costly and could even bankrupt your business.
If you are wondering how to prevent cyberattacks, you should think about adopting the habits of a cyber-savvy employee. Below are a few tips to get you started.
However, if despite your best efforts, your company is breached by a nefarious hacker, CyberPolicy offers cyber defense insurance to insulate your organization against the most harmful damages.
Savvy Employees Lock It Up
Does your computer automatically go to sleep when you get up from your desk? What about your smartphone or tablet? Well it should. Passwords and PINs protect your data from prying eyes and greedy fingers; even if you leave your phone on the train or have it stolen from your car. And unguarded device leads to data leaks and easily-compromised accounts. There's no excuse: Lock it up.
Savvy Employees Use a Password Manager
Want to know how to prevent cyberattacks? Use strong and unique passwords on all your accounts. Weak passwords can be cracked using a brute force attack, and recycled passwords can expose multiple sites and services through credential stuffing. If you have trouble keeping all those diverse passwords straight (who wouldn't), use a password manager to track your sign-in credentials, make more secure suggestions and update your logins regularly.
Savvy Employees Avoid Public Wi-Fi
Free public Wi-Fi seems like a godsend, but it reality, it could pose a risk to your organization. Data transferred and received over these insecure connections can be viewed by crafty hackers. Similarly, man-in-the-middle attacks enable cybercriminals to set up phony Wi-Fi hotspots to snare unsuspecting users into sharing their saved files and online activities with the digital eavesdropper. If you must work from a public connection, at least use a VPN.
Savvy Employees Stay Up to Date
Another annoying notification to update your programs? Wait! Before you hit ignore, you need to realize that software developers regularly release patches to update well-known security gaps. Hackers readily attack these soft spots knowing that plenty of users won't update their software, apps and add-ons. Stay up to date and stay safe.
Savvy Employees Backs Up Vital Data
One of the ways cybercriminals make money is through ransomware and cyber extortion. Usually snuck into your systems through a spam email or malware download, ransomware locks your systems until the hacker's conditions are met. Don't let this happen to you. Save your data to decrease the deleterious effects of business downtime and contact your cyber insurance provider before ever sending a dime to your malefactor.
Savvy Employees Read the News
Finally, a cyber-savvy employee knows that digital threats are constantly evolving and the best defense is education. If you want to know how to prevent cyberattacks, be sure to regularly read cybersecurity news.
Of course, no strategy is perfect and hackers are often craftier than one can imagine. Safeguard your company with a robust cyber insurance policy from CyberPolicy. Learn more by visiting our site!
