10 Best Business IT Security Practices

Business IT Cyber-security Services

Due to the progress of modern era technology, a new type of crime has emerged - cyber-crime.

Cyber-attacks are becoming a typical issue in the world of business and technology, as many companies do not take all the safety precautions to protect their sensitive data and information, when using their technology devices. Thus, they become easy targets for hackers, viruses and various malware. With 1 in 5 businesses suffering a cyber-attack each year, over 80% of the companies that were targeted were small and medium size enterprises. Knowing that more than 95% of theses attacks could be avoided, it should be time for seniors to executives to start considering an IT security plan that they can adopt to protect their staff and organisations.

1. IT Security Assessment & Awareness

It’s important for business executives to carefully assess their technological vulnerabilities in regards to both competitors and threats. This can help them determine their weaknesses and develop an improvement plan, as well as learning about their strengths and start leveraging them. Whether it’s your computers (hardware), programs (software) or your overall business IT performance, it requires your attention and assessment every couple of months, in order to know where your business stands. 

2. Spam Email

The email is the most common targets for hackers and intruders, as it is very easy for someone to pose as a business representative, present a business offer and attach a corrupted link that could lead to giving away access to your device and data, or allowing malware (viruses) to enter your device and network system. Choosing an IT solutions that helps reduce spam and reject access from intruders.

3. Advanced Endpoint Detection & Response

With yesterday’s technology, we would usually have to rely on a typical anti-virus to protect our devices from cyber attacks. But with today’s technology, we can go a step further and build an advanced endpoint security, ensuring that the protection of your computer networks that are all highly protected. 

4. Multi Factor Authentication

Multi-Factor Authentication can help you protect valuable accounts (bank, websites, social media, etc) against intruders. For instance, even when your password is compromised, and someone will try to sign into one of your accounts, a multi factor authentication will require the user to enter a code that will be sent to your phone number or will be asked a security questions, or both and more – hence why it’s called multi-factor. 

You can obviously limit yourself at a two-factor authentication system, where you input your password and a code that will be sent to your email or phone. This way, the chance of your accounts being intruded are reduced dramatically.

Business IT Security Structure

5. Device & Operating System updates

One of the most common issues with Windows users is that they don’t know how to update the operating system when required, hence leaving their devices exposed to modern malware and viruses that are too powerful for the current system’s defense. This is also true with programs, games and other software – if not updated, they may not work properly.

Whether it’s Microsoft, anti virus, Java or Adobe products, you constantly need to ensure that they have been updated to the last version.

6. SIEM & Log management

Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) and Log Management are software tools that allow IT Support companies like ourselves to monitor our clients’ IT security, by making use of log files, detecting and responding to what to potential threats called Indicators of Compromise (IoC), as well as conducting forensic research and investigations into network events and potential attacks.

7. Web Gateway Security

A Web Gateway Security is a protection system that defends your business from online threats and malware. The security gateway acts like a filter that carefully determines what files are welcome or unwelcome into your computer’s system. When a threat is noticed, the gateway will block it within seconds, before the threat reaches the users or breaks into the device database.

8. Mobile Device Security

Mobile devices have become a major target for hacker and cyber-attacks. This is because people don’t assume that smartphones are open to cyber threats as much as computers, however, this is only a myth. Hackers are counting on users to neglect their mobile device protection, and they they have been quite very successful leveraging this issue in their favour. 

With an IT support partner, you should benefit from full-rounded device security, which include mobile devices, resulting in to significantly less security breaches.

9. Firewall & Anti-viruses

Although anti-viruses and the Windows firewall are sometimes considered old security technology, they still play an important role in keeping computers safe. The firewall and anti-virus are another necessary piece of the security puzzle that shouldn’t be ignored. They are relatively easy to install, require very little updates, but can ensure safety efficiently in the long term.

10. Cloud Backup Storage

Backing up your data and sensible information is the best way to not ever lose it. You make experience a device failure (computer no longer works) or a power fault without saving your progress. This are all natural occurrences, whether at home or at work, but not being able to retrieve your data is quite a pain. With a top notch backup storage system that saves your data into the cloud, all steps are recorded and you never lose any of your progress regardless of what happens.

Don't wait until it's too late!

From our experience, many of our clients call us when the effects of cyber-attacks have already taken place, which makes the work of IT experts very complex and meticulous. 

Remember, by not looking over your technology systems, you are directly going against the world’s best hackers, viruses and malware! 

It is a difficult operation to undo the world’s of the best cyber-criminals. 

Therefore, don’t wait until your business is compromised and secure your systems now!