How to make your IT team cyber-secure

Posted by alvina on December 1st, 2019

Data and security hacks and breaches have become frequent and not uncommon over the last decade.

A cyber attack is essentially an assault on one or many computers, and across networks, that has been launched by a cybercriminal or group of cybercriminals. From stealing valuable data and information, disabling computers or simply using one computer to attack many more. For example, hacking a government based computer that wields a lot of power.

So how to make your IT team more cyber-secure and protect your business from a potential cyber attack? Here are a few good places to start.

1. Improve your team's training and knowledge

It is important to make sure that your IT team is up to date with all the best practices and cyber security skills. From practicing using a cyberrange, to cyber incident response your team will benefit from being proficient. Investing in their training is one of the best ways you can help to make your IT team more cyber secure.

2. Strong passwords

Encourage your team to use exceptionally strong passwords, with special characters, if the system allows. Passwords should also be updated regularly to keep systems as secure as possible.

3. Frequent backups

Ensure your IT team is able to download backups of your business data and systems. If a hack was to occur, you may need to revert a system back to a particular point in time, this could mean you potentially lose critical data.

4. Encrypt sensitive data

Any sensitive data must be encrypted, particularly money sensitive or consumer-based data. Encourage your team to use encrypted emails when exchanging any passwords, as this will add an extra layer of security to make sure only the needed people can view the email and password.

5. Help them stay mindful of cyber security

Make sure your IT team is reminded of cyber security from time to time. During a monthly meeting, or whilst brainstorming an idea for a new service or website. Keep cybersecurity at the forefront of their minds. The entire company should also be made aware. Consider asking your IT team to provide some form of information or best practices that other employees can follow whilst using the business systems or software.

6. Keep them up to date

Ensure your IT team are up to date and aware of the latest phishing and social engineering attacks. Knowing how cybercriminals are attempting to target businesses is incredibly important knowledge that should help them spot any hacking attempts. From imitating email addresses bar one character and even website domains. Hackers are exceedingly clever at tricking individuals, from an employee who was in a rush and accidentally clicked a link within an email that they thought came from a trusted supplier to receiving an email from an address that at a quick glance could be from a trusted friend or customer, where one of the characters has been swapped around. These attacks are unfortunately some of the most common.

Ensuring your employee's cyber security skills are up to date is extremely important. There are fortunately many ways in which they can receive information and knowledge, either online or by attending training, so by investing in their cyber skills, you are keeping your business safe.