How to Choose the Right Cybersecurity Measures for Your Business

Cybersecurity has become a massive issue and a prominent concern to every business enterprise no matter the size today.

As cyber risks escalate for example through data theft, cyber locker, phishing, etc, it becomes vital to select the right security measures for your business, in order to avoid losing vital information’s and customers’ trust.

Reading through this guide will enable you to appreciate the general considerations that one has to make while choosing cybersecurity measures appropriate for business operations.

1. Understand Your Business’s Specific Cybersecurity Needs

For one to select the best cybersecurity solutions the needs of the business should be determined at first.

The security needs differ with each business since every business is different in elements like its size, the kind of data that it processes, and the rules of the industry in which it operates.

For example, an organization offering healthcare services that involves clients’ personal information may require stricter rules such as HIPAA, whereas a retail firm selling products requires higher protection of buyers’ payment information under the PCI DSS regulations.

The first process that one has to involve is the conduct of a risk assessment in order to define the possible risks that can be acquired from a current system.

This should involve an assessment of every segment of your IT system beginning with devices and extending to networks, software, application, and cloud services.

When you know where your business is exposed, then it will be easier for you to determine the measures that you need to interact to counter the risks faced.

2. Implement Multi-Layered Security

Despite the name, cybersecurity is not a single solution that can be bought and installed but rather a layered approach that addresses several concerns on your IT system.

One should embrace the use of defense-in-depth approach that entails implementing several layers of security measures so as to safeguard your information and computers.

This makes the approach ideal because should one layer be breached there are other layers to safeguard your resources.

Key components of a multi-layered security strategy include:

• Firewalls: In order to filter the network traffic in and out with reference to some predefined security measures.
• Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software: For the identification of the dangerous programs that could invade the systems.
• Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDPS): To be able to identify threats once they are looming in the horizon so that the organization can come up with necessary measures to counter them.
• Encryption: To secure both by encryption when in transit as well as when stored on the organization’s or individual’s network or devices.
• Access Controls: To allow access to limited authorized persons in the organization’s critical systems and data.

when you put all these measures in place at your organization, you form a very strong wall if call it that, that minimizes the possibility of a cyber attack.

3. Prioritize Employee Training and Awareness

It is noteworthy that one of the most frequent reasons of cyber threats is the human factor.

Cyber security threats like phishing for instance, may be pulled off because employees might have clicked a malicious link or entered their credentials into the wrong hands.

In order to make sure that this risk is properly managed invest in constant training of your employees on how they can protect themselves and the company from cyber threats.

The training should include the following areas of concern: How to recognize the glaring phishing scams, choosing strong passwords, scams from social engineering and how best to handle data. Also, pursue emulation tests like the simulated phishing in order to identify the extent of vulnerability of the employees to the phishing scams.

This way, you promote a safety culture around cybersecurity so that your employees become the first line of deICE.

4. Choose Scalable and Flexible Solutions

With the growth of business, the questions of cybersecurity will also necessarily arise.

The solutions chosen must be readily capable of being adopted to be able to support your business’s changing needs.

This is even more relevant for the enterprises that are preparing for extension into digital environment as well as increasing the use of information technologies, extending the geography of points of sales, or increasing customers’ base.

For example, cloud-based cybersecurity solutions provide business with scalability coupled with flexibility for rapid changes in the security model. Moreover, it is important to go for solutions compatible with your current IT systems to reduce the change of disruption and make the switch as easy as possible.

5. Regularly Update and Patch Systems

Old software and system are also other prone points attackers usually use to gain control into an organization’s networks.

This may sound obvious but updating and patching your systems should not be considered a peripheral task because they are critical for cybersecurity.

Make sure that all the operating systems and applications that are installed in the network as well as all security software is updated to the latest security patches.

The practical effect of automating the updates process is to guarantee the small’s systems are safely secured from known risks.

Furthermore, implement a patch management policy for the applications in order to update all the frequently used applications currently and also in future so that the chances of the application being exploited can be reduced.

6. Monitor and Respond to Threats in Real Time

Protecting against cyber threats is not only about avoiding and blocking the threats but also about early detection of threats and applying the countermeasures in real time.

Put in place effective means of monitoring the activities that are being carried out on your network in real time and notify you in case of an intrusion.

There are tools which are designed to gather and process security information, for example Security Information and Event Management technologies can assist you in identifying and responding to threats in the shortest time possible.

Not only that, you have to have a plan in case someone has an iPhone on the set or at the location.

This plan should foresee what should be done in case of an attack; it should state the course of action; where the attack is coming from, how the leak is to be prevented, who should be informed of the leakage, among others.

Make it a habit to check and revisit your incident response plan so that you adapt to the changing threat landscape.

7. Consider Outsourcing to Cybersecurity Experts

That being said for many companies, information security can be handled internally and this may prove to be difficult due to lack of proper resources or manpower.

In such cases a smart move would be to outsource cybersecurity to a MSSP or a Managed Security Service Provider.

There are many services MSSPs provide some of which include round-the-clock monitoring, threat identification, response to incidents, and compliance to regulation this way you are able to concentrate on your core business as the MSSP handle the cybersecurity aspect for you.

Conclusion

It is therefore important to have proper cybersecurity measures in place when handling your business and your clients’ information.

In this way, when you consider your particular necessities, use layers in security measures, train your staff, select flexibly applicable systems, update the existing systems, keep track with threats, and employ professional aid, you can develop a strong protective system that is capable of handling the constantly advancing threats.

Cyber-security is not simply a way to protect your investment, it is a safeguarding of your company’s future within a growing technological environment.