With hackers gaining an uncanny ability to breach even the most secure systems, organizations are in a fix and wonder how they can fix their cybersecurity. Even if they find the right methods, cost becomes a big concern.
So, to address these concerns, we decided to do some good research, and that led to some great insights. Based on them, here are some methods you must implement to improve cybersecurity. Ready? Let’s dive in!
1. Run Regular Security Checks
Will you compromise on your office security? You might be wondering, what kind of a question is this? Well, the same concern is required when it comes to your website.
Conducting regular security checks and analyzing your site will help it protect from hackers. There are many tools that can help you keep checks and protect your business. Make sure you do a cost-benefit analysis and then incorporate them to keep your system away from threats.
2. Install SSL Certificate
Did you know that small and medium-sized website owners share a common belief?
While it might sound a bit funny, they feel that running their website on HTTP protocol is enough, and it can save them from hackers. Unfortunately, it is far from the truth. Hackers work round the clock and are always on the lookout for unencrypted PII.
One of the best ways to improve cybersecurity is to switch to the HTTPS protocol. But what does it mean? Well, HTTPS= HTTP + SSL. The latter is a digital protocol that secures the data between the client-server and web browser. This keeps all attack attempts at bay and lets you work with ease.
You must invest in one right away as it is much more than a data encryption tool. It will also help you get improved rankings in SERPs and let you earn customer trust.
If budget is a concern, there are many low-cost SSL certificates that can save your money. In the case of multiple domains and subdomains, you should buy multi domain SSL. Else, you can select any SSL that suits your website.
3. Get a Vulnerability Assessment
Tell us something, whenever you are doing a project, will you jump to step 10 before completing step 1. Well, the answer is no, right?
Similar is the case when you set out to improve cybersecurity. It should always be approached in layers and after analyzing tools that can improve the security in each of these areas.
A great starting point for businesses on a budget is to get a vulnerability assessment done. An IT security company will assess your network, connected devices, websites, and more. The best part is that it is done at a low cost using automated tools.
Moreover, you will get access to all details regarding your cybersecurity gaps, and you can choose how to tackle them. Usually, companies tackle the lowest cost and highest risk items first.
4. Build a Secure Culture
No two thoughts on this; establishing clear communication lines among your employees is a zero-cost way to improve cybersecurity. As hackers will only get more creative with their methods, it is essential to educate your team and help them follow the best practices.
You can choose to curate some good security tips and send them to your team on a bimonthly or monthly basis. This way, they will be able to wade potential scams and keep their data safe. While this may require you to collaborate with HR, it will be worthwhile in the short and long run.
5. Automate Controls
With the digitalization of business life, more companies are at risk of cyberattacks. However, you don’t need to break a sweat as big data analysis is here to your rescue.
These solutions provide a host of automated workflows and let you take cost-friendly security measures against detected threats. Thus, automated controls and fraud detection have been identified as one of the most important tools when it comes to improving cybersecurity.
6. VPN For Employees
If you are a fan of cost-effective tools, then VPN should not escape your eye. It is available for free, and that makes it the lowest cost option. However, you can also choose to upgrade your plans and switch to monthly payment options.
A VPN will hide your IP and make you virtually untraceable. Moreover, if your company is working remotely, we suggest providing your employees with a good-quality VPN.
So, with a VPN installed in your employee’s systems, cyberattacks will be a thing of the past. Thus, all you need to do is heave a sigh of relief and work on other pressing issues!
7. Update and Upgrade Your Password Policy
Are you also guilty of using basic passwords because you cannot remember them? Well, truth be told, it is harming your business beyond measure. One of the best ways to improve cybersecurity is to update your password policy.
The easiest way to tweak the policy without angering your user base is to increase the minimum length. For instance, an 8-character password can become a victim to a brute force attack in less than 10-minutes. However, only by adding two characters, the duration can be increased up to a week.
The icing on the cake? Add two more characters, and you are good to go for the next 54 years! Yes, we are not joking! This is simply because each additional character exponentially increases the number of combinations an attacker needs to try.
8. Have A Solid Password Management System
It’s often the weakest link in the system that spells troubles of all sorts. When it comes to cybersecurity, it is always the human element that is easy to meddle with. One easy way to improve cybersecurity is understanding and changing how your users interact with your systems.
This means you will need to educate your users of the risks they could create and then urge them to create systems that encourage safe and secure practices without harming productivity.
For example, you can develop a password management system where users can store sensitive credentials without sending them in plain text or writing them down on paper and documents.
Wrapping Up
Well, an excellent time to improve cybersecurity for your organization was yesterday, the best one- today! So, make sure you follow these tips to keep your systems safe and protected from all threats!
