A Quick Guide To Business Cyber Security

Every organisation wants to avoid the loss of millions of dollars  that can result from a major security breach, not to mention the potential loss in reputation and market share and we have seen a significant growth in cyber criminality in the form of high-profile ransomware campaigns over the last year.

Yet, many companies still place their primary security focus on analysing an incident long after it has been detected and after it has caused damage. 

Breaches have the effect of exposing personal data on a massive scale, leaving victims vulnerable to fraud, while lives were put at risk and services damaged by the WannaCry ransomware campaign that affected the NHS and many other organisations worldwide. 

Whether you are in charge of a large organisation or you own a small startup, cyber crime has reached record heights and the threat of an attack is real. 

Cyber criminals are clever and if there is weakness within your digital security, an attacker will seek it out. They will use clever methods to steal your data, you need to make sure your cyber security leaves little room for attack.  

Here is a brief guide about cyber security and protecting your organisation.

Cyber crime:   According to the National Crime Agency cyber crime threatens national security and it costs the United Kingdom billions of pounds each year. Cyber-attacks often target companies who hold a lot of personal data and they will try to steal the data using various means. Cyber criminals use devious ways to find weak spots in your digital security and an attack can appear in many different forms.

Common Attacks:   The most common types of attack include hacking, phishing, malicious software and distributed denial of service attacks against websites. As a business, you and your colleagues need to be cautious of all types of attacks. The most common way in which criminals may try to breach your security is through your staff. Reports show that 72 percent of employees receive fraudulent emails, 33 percent of businesses experience viruses and malware and 17 percent experience ransomware.

Different Types of Cyber Security:   To prevent criminals from gaining personal information you can employ different types of cyber security. These include perimeter security, intranet security and human security:

Perimeter Security:   Perimeter security includes spam protection and firewalls, and it is the most basic way you can protect your network. Using these protective means, you can build a barrier, or perimeter, around your network to protect it against external threats.

Internet Security:   When the threat tries to infiltrate your network from the inside, intranet security needs to be in place for protection. The threats could appear due to a virus, or malware, uploaded from someone’s USB onto their  work computer. 

Without realising it, employees can unwittingly pick up harmful viruses at home and transfer them to the business network. These types of attacks can be shielded by downloading anti-malware software onto the computers at work. This type of software can prevent known malware from being uploaded, however, if the malware is brand new and unknown, your anti-malware software will not be able to protect your network.

Human Security:   Businesses often succumb to cyber attacks due to human error. Breaches occur when employees are duped by scams, when they choose weak passwords and when they use networks that are not secure. Basic IT training can help your employees understand how cyber crime happens and give them the knowledge of how to protect themselves against an attack.

Cyber Essentials Certification:   Cyber Essentials is a scheme that is backed by the government. Essentially, it helps you protect your business against common cyber attacks. You may be asking yourself: what is cyber essentials certification? Achieving a certification in Cyber Essentials gives your customers peace of mind that you’re taking a proactive approach against cyber crime. The certification shows that your company is educated in cyber security and that your staff are trained to keep personal data secure.

Cyber Essentials Badges:   You can achieve two types of Cyber Essentials badges: Basic and Plus. The Basic involves individuals taking test questionnaires. Their answers are then checked by certification bodies. The Plus is the highest level of certification, and it includes a third party performing a physical audit of your office to check for certification requirements.

Benefits of Applying for Certification:   Besides the status of being certified by a government-backed programme, applying for certification can reassure your customers that their personal data is in safe hands. Customers may also make an active choice to do business with you due to your certified status. With Cyber Essentials certification, you will always know where your company stands in terms of the level of cyber security within your business. Furthermore, certification is a requirement by some government contracts.

How Do I Protect My Business?:   To begin with, you can approach the IASME consortium to begin the process. You will need evidence that your current IT infrastructure complies with the standards set by the programme; then your knowledge of your software and systems will be assessed.

Professional Advice:   Cyber crime is ever-evolving and there are many factors to consider. If you feel unsure about where to begin, speak to a professional IT service support provider, who can offer expert advice and can answer your queries about cyber security.

National Crime Agency:     IBM Security:    Money Supermarket:    Security Intelligence:    News from Wales:  

Image: Unsplash

You Might Also Read: 

Questions Business Leaders Should Ask Themselves:

 

« NATO Warns Of Military Response To Cyber Attacks
Drones Kill Without Human Control »

CyberSecurity Jobsite
Perimeter 81

Directory of Suppliers

Jooble

Jooble

Jooble is a job search aggregator operating in 71 countries worldwide. We simplify the job search process by displaying active job ads from major job boards and career sites across the internet.

CYRIN

CYRIN

CYRIN® Cyber Range. Real Tools, Real Attacks, Real Scenarios. See why leading educational institutions and companies in the U.S. have begun to adopt the CYRIN® system.

ZenGRC

ZenGRC

ZenGRC - the first, easy-to-use, enterprise-grade information security solution for compliance and risk management - offers businesses efficient control tracking, testing, and enforcement.

The PC Support Group

The PC Support Group

A partnership with The PC Support Group delivers improved productivity, reduced costs and protects your business through exceptional IT, telecoms and cybersecurity services.

Authentic8

Authentic8

Authentic8 transforms how organizations secure and control the use of the web with Silo, its patented cloud browser.

Wall Street Technology Association (WSTA)

Wall Street Technology Association (WSTA)

The Wall Street Technology Association (WSTA) provides financial industry technology professionals with forums to learn from and connect with each other.

Messageware

Messageware

Messageware is the market leader in securing, enhancing, and customizing Microsoft Exchange and Outlook Web App.

Yokogawa Electric

Yokogawa Electric

Yokogawa is an electrical engineering company providing measurement, control, and information technologies including industrial cyber security.

Pole SCS (Secure Communicating Solutions)

Pole SCS (Secure Communicating Solutions)

SCS is a world-class competitiveness cluster dedicated to digital technologies in the fields of Microelectronics, Internet Of Things, Digital Security, Artificial Intelligence And Big Data.

RedLock

RedLock

The RedLock Cloud 360TM platform correlates disparate security data sets to provide a unified view of risks across fragmented cloud environments.

MindPoint Group (MPG)

MindPoint Group (MPG)

MindPoint Group is a specialist Information Security Consulting firm.

Lumen Technologies

Lumen Technologies

Lumen is an enterprise technology platform that enables companies to capitalize on emerging applications and power the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR).

Arctic Wolf Networks

Arctic Wolf Networks

Arctic Wolf Networks delivers the industry-leading security operations center (SOC)-as-a-service that redefines the economics of cybersecurity.

Datplan

Datplan

Datplan offers a software solution that gives an overview of 8 key cyber risk areas, their threats, and risk management steps.

BwCIRT

BwCIRT

BwCIRT is the Computer Incident Response Team (CIRT) for Botswana and provides an official point of contact for dealing with computer security incidents.

Findcourses.com

Findcourses.com

Findcourses is a dedicated education search engine designed to make it easy for our learners to search and find exactly what they need from our community of trusted training providers.

Revere Technologies

Revere Technologies

Revere Technologies is a pure-play cyber security solutions and services provider in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Sec-Ops

Sec-Ops

Sec-Ops is a forward thinking cyber security company, formed by a group of security enthusiasts with years of experience and backgrounds in the technology and the government industries.

WithSecure

WithSecure

WithSecure (formerly F-Secure Business) is your reliable cyber security partner, providing outcome-based cyber security that protects and enables operations.

RMRF Tech

RMRF Tech

RMRF is a team of cybersecurity engineers and penetration testers which specializes in the development of solutions for early cyber threat detection and prevention.

Zama

Zama

Zama - pioneering homomorphic encryption. We believe people shouldn't care about privacy. Not because it doesn't matter, but because it shouldn't be an issue!