These days you can't go on your phone or other smart device without receiving a news notification about cyber interference by a foreign government. Cybersecurity is everywhere, even your Facebook feed!
Riding public transport home after work, you watch your phone light up with posts from your liberal cousin and conservative uncle as they duke it out in the comments section under a news line post talking about the government's tactics on cybersecurity. If only they knew how entertaining their squabbling was to you!
It's easy not to take things like this seriously, especially if they don't readily affect your life, but guess what: cybersecurity affects everyone. How would you feel if you learned that after installing a buggy app your smart phone was hacked? But wait a minute, not just your smartphone, but all of your web-connected devices? If it's all on the same network, it's all free game for an enthusiastic cybercriminal.
According to the International Business Times, 16 million mobile devices were infected with malware in 2014 (current available data). Your mobile devices are low-hanging fruit and hackers are constantly on the lookout for easy pickings. If you allow your employees to use their own devices on your company's network, you are increasing your chances of a cyberattack. Do you have the cyberattack insurance you need to cover the costs of a data breach? After you compare quotes with CyberPolicy and nab a package to go along with your business insurance plan, implement safe network practices-here's how!
− Throw out your smart phone. Just kidding! Michael Holmes with Small Business Trends writes that the only way you can truly protect your smart device from corruption is to go back to using a no-fuss cell phone that is good for making phone calls-and nothing else. In today's world, not having a smart phone is dang near impossible. To protect your phone (and that of your employees') from vulnerabilities, set up a remote-access VPN.
A remote-access VPN can only be used by people who have the credentials to access the network the VPN is set up with. The VPN acts as a plug into your network's servers. This means that you and your staff can log onto the company's network from home or the local coffee shop without worrying about a hacker finding their way into the system.
− Backup your data regularly. This really should go without saying, but in a survey sponsored by BackBlaze, of the 2,010 people they questioned, 39 percent they back up their data annually, with another 25 percent saying they had never backed up their data. If a hacker is able to get into your network they will steal your data or destroy it, but not before seeking a ransom for its release. If you've backed up your data, they won't have the leverage to force you to pay to get the data back.
− Don't download apps willy-nilly. Just because an app is available via the App Store or Google Play does not mean that it has been vetted for bugs. Don't download apps until you have verified how they were produced. Also, do not rely on the app's customer reviews for information. It's easy to falsify reviews.
Now that you know about a couple things to watch out for, it's time to make sure you're covered if a hacker is still somehow able to breach your network. Visit CyberPolicy to find your cyberattack insurance plan.
