Enterprise systems today are under more scrutiny than ever before as information spreads like wildfire and the growing hacker problem refuses to go away. Access to internet devices has exploded and so has the internet market. Specifically big data, which has become a cornerstone of the market, has become a larger and larger whale thanks to the value of data.
Amidst everything, however, the primary concern should only be about securing the company quickly and efficiently.
First, you must take an honest evaluation of your cybersecurity protocols. Have a detailed understanding of how the network works and which devices go to which systems. Ask questions of the team about noticeable areas of improvement and ways to fix said issues. But what do you do next?
Here are the five easy steps to make your enterprise cybersecurity more effective:
Evaluate Your Network
The first step to improving your network is getting to know your network. What are your configurations currently? Are you using hubs and switches, creating subnetworks for better performance or are you broadcasting a signal across your entire office?
Ask questions like:
- What kind of router are we using?
- What does our internet service provider offer us?
- Are we using the latest software updates?
- How are we addressing network vulnerabilities?
- Have we encountered a cyber-attack before
Upgrade Data Protection
After you get acquainted with your network, you’ll want to integrate a series of upgrades. Protecting your data via encryption is one of the best ways to upgrade cybersecurity protocols. You can leverage plenty of free encryption tools or opt for paid enterprise software.
Either way, these programs can be utilized to safely store private information on your local machines (i.e. company computers, tablets, and other smart devices). Encrypt files with sensitive digital information or personal data and create a strong password to lock it away.
Generate Strong Passwords
Once you’ve upgraded your security by utilizing strong encryption protocols, you’ll want to generate strong passwords. Without strong passwords, hackers can easily break through encrypted files quite easily.
Instead of doing the work of unscrambling information, they can just brute force the password to gain access to the protected folder, completely circumventing the complex process of decryption.
Generate strong passwords, change them often, and store them safely with password management programs.
Operationalize Privacy Protocols
Privacy on the internet is somewhat of a hot topic at the moment. Before the internet became an absolute necessity to do work, communicate with friends, and transfer money, privacy was not much of a concern. Now that all sorts of digital accounts store our most sensitive data (like social security numbers, credit card information, and intellectual property).
Since massive data breaches from respected businesses and institutions have illuminated the fragility of our digital lives, liability and privacy protection protocols have become far more important. Don’t simply rely on your IT team and tech product managers to monitor every single strand of data. Businesses must stay up-to-date about the latest guidelines and legislation about digital privacy and online privacy rights.
Leverage Advanced Cybersecurity Tools
Remember that preventing cyberattacks is important but dealing with active threats is just as crucial. To make your cybersecurity infrastructure is in working order, you’ll need a plan to deal with malware that breaks through your network and intruders that brute force their way into your private intranet.
Use cybersecurity tools like:
- Antivirus software
- Packet sniffers
- Network intrusion detectors
- VPN services
- Free social engineering education
- Encrypted email services
Update systems regularly, encrypt your network and educate employees about social engineering in addition to leveraging these easily accessible tools.
Conclusion
Why is cybersecurity so important? Data is increasingly becoming the most valuable resource on earth as the uses for the data never stops. To secure the enterprise systems it is recommended to use a variety of tools and methodologies.
Passwords are some of the best tools we have when used properly and with the right program that can be easy to make and deploy. Generate strong passwords and keep them in password managers that obscure them while making them ready to use. A well-made password can save an enterprise and a caring cybersecurity professional will make sure that your enterprise stays strong.
Use an antivirus to target the files you may not be able to see and protect your enterprise from Trojans and PUPs. There are, in fact, dozens of cybersecurity tools out there and no matter which direction you choose your enterprise will be the better for it.
