Threats to cyber security are everywhere. Individuals and corporations tend to forget that while common, breaches and other cyber attacks are often easily avoidable. The biggest data breaches have been successful due to shortcomings on the part of victims. What we can take from this is that we can lessen the risks of data breaches, if we are careful enough.
The truth is that cyber criminals exploit our mistakes. If we make even the slightest misstep, hackers can easily break through regardless of the security measures in place. The first step in correcting the errors of our ways is learning where we’ve gone wrong.
Lack of Awareness And Training
Hackers will take advantage of the lack of knowledge in a company about cyber security threats. For instance, hackers use the employees themselves as a common entry point. If workers haven’t been adequately trained, then they are unlikely to know about possible threats such as phishing scams. Often, in this case, employees are careless and lax when it comes to security.
For companies, the immediate course of action is proper training. This involves investing time and resources, but building a solid defense that encompasses your workforce can go a long way in preventing cyber threats.
Systems Aren’t Up-To-Date
Companies tend to forget the importance of updates and patches to an operating system or to any software, for that matter. While updating software sometimes takes a bit of time, it’s necessary for shielding a company’s data and assets from the latest threats. As a general rule of thumb, companies should dedicate a few hours every week to figure out if an update is needed.
Failing to Meet the Basic Standards of Security
Cyber criminals will try to leverage any possible security holes in a company’s system, meaning they’ll scan the entire system to find a vulnerability. Most companies often ignore the basics standards of security once they’ve equipped themselves with a decent cyber security solution.
Ideally, companies should enforce complex passwords for employees using their systems. They should also regularly back up any sort of data in case someone in the company needs to access it in the future.
Another way to shield a company and its data is by simply equipping employees’ devices with anti-virus software, which provides protection from malware and other attacks.
Untested Security Measures
Unfortunately, it’s not enough to simply rely on the tools and solutions that have been installed – they must be tested regularly. One way to do this is through penetration tests, which are conducted by an IT team or a third-party firm to isolate any potential flaws in a security system.
Leaving security measures untested is a huge no-no. Companies that skip this practice are made aware of vulnerabilities in their system only after an attack has already happened. That’s why these tests are necessary and should be done at all costs.
These common mistakes are easily preventable. Regardless, many companies have several weak points that could make them attractive to hackers. Knowing about these common missteps and how to correct them will help you build a stronger security system for your company.
Infographic URL: https://techjury.net/blog/cyber-security-statistics/
Muninder Adavelli
Chief Content Strategist
TechJury