We see many ads on TV about protecting our personal information. But what about protecting your business? Protecting your business is just as important. So treat your business like a modern-day castle. Review this Q&A for a quick education on how you can do it.



How can my business be attacked?

  • Ransomware
    • Hackers encrypt your files
    • Work comes to a stop
    • Potentially a permanent file loss
    • Even if you pay, no guarantees
  • Cyber email/extortion
    • Very common as part of ransomware attacks now
    • Steal your files and release them on the dark web if you don’t pay
  • Access your computer system
    • Steal intellectual property or company secrets to sell to competitors
    • Gain access to your bank account; transfer funds
    • If you store/process confidential information, they can sell:
      • Financial – average $6/record
      • Medical – as much as $259/record


How do these attacks impact my organization?

  • Ransom cost to recover data
  • Competitor access to your company secrets
  • Federal/State fines due to loss of confidential information
  • Negative impact on the reputation of your company
  • Criminal negligence charges from State governments

 

How can I protect our network from hackers?

Think of your organization like it’s a castle from the olden days. What would you need to protect your castle? A high wall, a locked gate, and armed guards inside might help?

 

How can I build a wall for our 'castle'?

  • Modern and managed firewall
  • Wi-Fi password changed regularly
  • Separate guest and business Wi-Fi with different passwords
  • Antivirus on your servers, laptops and desktops
  • Email protection

 

How can I lock the gate of our 'castle'?

  • Passwords
    • Require them, change them often
    • Employ multi-factor authorization (MFA)
  • Physical security
    • Lock server and network equipment rooms
    • Encrypt computers/laptops in case of theft
  • Appropriate access
    • Limit access to need to know
    • Extend minimum access necessary
  • Data backups
    • Keep backups of your backups somewhere safe

 

How can I train staff to guard our 'castle'?  

  • Provide ongoing training, not just for new employees.
  • Conduct phishing awareness training and exercises
  • Train staff on response to suspicious emails, websites, and computer behavior
  • Prepare an incident response plan (IRP) in case you are a victim of an attack

If you need help protecting your castle, get in touch for an IT assessment today.

What's an IT Assessment?