Every business needs to prioritize cybersecurity. Cyberattacks are happening every day all over the world to companies of every size, and, as the criminals are always changing their tactics, our defences need to evolve alongside them. If business owners are not taking steps to protect their business, they are risking not only an inconvenience, but potential financial and reputational losses which could spell the end of the road. Unfortunately, just because your business has not suffered a cyberattack yet, it does not mean that it will not happen. However, there are several tactics and services which can help businesses to detect online threats and take preventative steps as early as possible.
Extended Detection Response (XDR)
What is XDR? It stands for Extended Detection Response and is a collection of several security products that work as a cohesive unit. An XDR detects and responds to a wide range of cybersecurity threats quickly and effectively across an entire network of technology. Businesses with an XDR system have a real-time view of security threats as well as improved protection and response capacity. This means security personnel can work more efficiently and can reduce the overall cost as the company does not need to purchase lots of different security products. Whether the threat comes from a lone hacker, a group, a nation, or an insider, an XDR enables security staff to stay alert to attacks from multiple directions without being overloaded with data or false alarms.
Implementing a Managed Firewall
By ensuring a managed firewall protects your network, you are placing a protective perimeter around your business’ data, which is monitored like a security fence. When the firewall detects an attack, it can analyse it and alert you/your security provider and take steps to mitigate the threat as soon as possible.
Using Multi-factor Authentication for Passwords
A lot of businesses are guilty of operating with weak passwords and do not understand the risks. Passwords that are too simple or easy to guess do very little to protect a company from hackers. Lots also use the same password for multiple accounts and devices and/or do not change passwords often enough.
Cybercriminals can run programs that try thousands of combinations of numbers and letters in just a few minutes, so to prevent hackers from working out your passwords, you should be using Multi-Factor Authentication. This provides extra barriers of protection as users are asked for their username, password, and another layer of authentication, such as a unique code sent to a smartphone.
Stay alert
While it is important to secure your business against cyberattacks through technological solutions, it is not possible to eliminate the possibility of a cyberattack. Cybercriminals are constantly evolving and adapting their tactics to gain access to business networks. So, while it is important to ensure you are using the most up to date and comprehensive security you can afford, it is also essential that you and all your staff are well-educated in the latest security threats and how to identify them.
