Tips to improve cybersecurity in the New Year

Some of the horrible cyber incidents we dealt with in 2014 include malware infections, compromised servers and ransomware – just to name a few! We can definitely expect more of the same things this year, so let’s take a look at some of the ways organizations can minimize risks in the New Year.

Good cyber hygiene The majority of cyber attacks are caused because people fail to have basic cyber hygiene (so just be hygienic!) Apply just a few simply hygiene behaviours and you can avoid the majority of the attacks and be free to focus on more difficult cyber challenges.

Know what’s connected to and running on your network
Count and document the type of device, its location and the owner of your company’s IT assets. These assets could include all your:
- Computers, laptops, tablets
- Smartphones, PDAs
- Removable hard drives, USBs
- Printers, scanners
- Routers, servers

The best option would be to create a written policy that requires the creation and maintenance of a complete and accurate IT asset inventory.

Protect your system by implementing key security settings
Make a point to identify all types of hardware and applications running in your business. Always focus first on operating systems! Make a point to try and research and select a well-known and trusted secure configuration baseline for each type of hardware and application.

Update regularlyMaking sure you don’t forget to patch is a critical step. If you want to maintain confidentiality and the availability of your systems and information then you need to remember to do it on a regular basis. Make a list of your company’s technology and identify what software is operating, then make a habit of checking what patches, updates and revisions need to be applied and then apply them on time.

The human factor
As more of the stuff we do every day becomes internet-connected and the line between personal life and work life becomes even more blurred, its extremely important to understand the part that each person plays in a company’s cyber security. Don’t just assume that everyone understand their responsibility for securing cyber space. Believe it or not, but a lot of people in the workforce believe that they are not responsible for helping in the security of their networks.

It is the start of a new year, so it’s best to start it off making sure that your cybersecurity is 100%! Address all these factors and keep in mind that its best for everyone in your company to understand the importance of the practices – they are critical for improving your security throughout 2015 and beyond.

Contact The Computer Guyz in Cape Town and Centurion for all your IT needs. We can offer you a wide variety of services from IT support and maintenance to website design and hosting or just some friendly advice!

Written By: Christine Romans
CopyWriter at The Computer Guyz Cape Town