How to prevent cyber-attacks

Despite cyber-attacks on individuals receiving mounting attention in the media, it’s businesses that really need to step up when it comes to combatting cyber-crime. According to a joint study undertaken by the Centre of Economics and Business Research and Veracode, these attacks are costing UK corporations over £34 billion each year. And, with cyber-hacks predicted to increase and cause further catastrophic damage in the future, now is the time to take action.

So, here are some simple and effective steps to take within your business, to ensure you’re doing everything you can to protect against such digital threats:

• Increase employee awareness

This is the most important and cost-effective way to prevent a security breach. If you educate your staff as to the different types and ways a person can attempt to hack your system, and train them to be vigilant in spotting threats, this will inevitably help you to intercept attacks.

Emails, as well as paper-based documents, are just some of the ways hackers can acquire sensitive information and break into your network. Fostering a corporate culture that strongly emphasises the proper disposal of secure data, and ensuring that removable and mobile devices are encrypted, are great ways to kick-start caution surrounding confidential information.

• Regularly back up your data

Implementing regular back-ups ensures that crucial company data is not lost in the event of a cyber-attack. It should always be stored in remote locations, such a secure cloud, and all sensitive information should be fully encrypted. Your entire network also needs to be kept up to date, which means paying close attention to any notifications regarding your system upgrades.

• Change passwords frequently

Never write down your password – always memorise it! But creating a strong one can sometimes be easier said than done, especially when you have to remember it. Including numbers and symbols will make it harder for an attacker to breach your network, and it’s important that you don’t use the same password for multiple accounts – try to change it every few months and use a secure app like OnePass for even greater robustness.

• Hire an IT security expert

This may sound like a significant expense, but IT support is an invaluable service that can ultimately help you save money and remove frustration down the line. A security expert can discover if there are any holes or risks within your network infrastructure and highlight them, so that steps can be taken to solve issues before they turn into real problems.

So, don’t sit and wait for your network to be hacked before doing something about your company’s security. Taking these simple precautionary steps, will help to ensure that your systems are protected and your data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands – saving you both time and money in the long run.

Of course, we can help in this respect – for a free IT security assessment with one of our expert technicians, call us on 01524 581690 to chat through your needs.