Best Corporate Cybersecurity Measures for 2022
Over a year into this pandemic, it is evident that the way companies conduct their operations has changed for good. With numerous companies shifting to remote work set-ups, new protocols and rules had to be established, especially in light of cybersecurity. And as time has passed, we have grown to discover what works and what doesn’t.
At the same time, however, cyberattacks remain a pressing threat that companies face, with hackers and the like becoming more intelligent and ready to infiltrate even the most secure organizations. These situations call a lot of attention to security companies who offer managed IT services and solutions to help tighten security in the corporate world.
With this in mind, we have gleaned insight from a number of professionals to learn some of the best corporate cybersecurity measures for 2022:
Train Employees on Cybersecurity and Conduct Vulnerability Testing
The first thing corporations should do is educate their employees on the contemporary cybersecurity risks. It is a well-known fact in the cybersecurity community that an organization’s employees represent its biggest cybersecurity vulnerability, and most data breaches occur because of employee carelessness or ignorance.
Company-wide training, especially for remote employees, on the latest phishing and malware tactics, how to secure home networks, multi-factor authentication, and why it is important to avoid public and open networks is fundamental.
Following that, companies need to plan regular vulnerability testing. This can be done by in-house IT or contracted out to a third party, but regular stress testing of network security to uncover potential entry and exploitation points will help businesses stay ahead of the cybercriminals.
Sebastian Schaeffer, CTO and Co-Founder of DoFollow.io
Get DNS Protection
DNS protection is becoming an important way to dynamically stop threats *before* your employees have a chance to interact with malicious content. Firewalls and security training are imperfect, and an AI-driven solution is needed to perform real-time scanning on links your users may click. DNS filtering additionally allows companies to block inappropriate or time-waster content, so it serves dual, important purposes in an enterprise organization.
Jillian Kossman, Director of Marketing of DNSFilter
Stay Safe Behind the Firewall and Change Passwords Regularly
Always use a firewall. Firewalls are your first lines of defense in a cyber-attack. I totally agree with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) which suggests that all SMBs set up a firewall. It helps provide a barrier between your data and cybercriminals. I would also recommend that you consider installing an internal firewall too as this provides additional protection. And for those of you who have remote staff, be sure to get them to install a firewall on their home network to ensure compliance.
Another thing is passwords. We are all aware of how frustrating it is to change passwords but I highly recommend that you change them every 60 days. It is thought that 2/3 of data breaches happen because of weak or stolen passwords. So, it’s essential that all employee devices accessing the company network be password protected.
Ethan Taub, CEO of Goalry
Develop a Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD) Policy
BYOD (Bring Your Own Device) is becoming more popular in today’s workplace. There are many benefits to BYOD, including increased productivity when remote employees use devices with which they are already familiar.
It’s important to set limits on which functions BYOD devices can perform and which systems they can access. Employee-owned devices can be protected using VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) and remote application environments.
Veronica Miller, Cybersecurity Expert of VPNoverview
Employ a Risk-Based Approach to Security
The top thing to do when you are thinking about cybersecurity practices is to employ a risk-based approach to security. This means that you have to focus on your more specific risks that are relevant to your industry and the online/digital tools you are using. Identifying all the valuable assets, then addressing the current state of cybersecurity for your company can then allow you to manage your security strategy more accurately. Being able to risk assessment at each stage is crucial, and can make sure that no stone has been left unturned.
Salinder Kohli, Lead Developer of Coffeeble
Turn on Two-Factor or Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA / MFA)
One of the best ways to increase security is to require users to turn on two-factor or multi-factor authentication (2FA / MFA). This protects your online accounts by requiring more than one authentication method to verify your identity. Many website platforms have this functionality inherently built-in. You just have to turn it on in the admin dashboard requiring users to set it up.
Hackers have an easy time accessing online accounts protected with just a password. If a hacker obtained one of your account passwords, multi-factor keeps you protected by requiring the hacker to enter an additional piece of information to access the account.
Strong passwords are important, but even the strongest passwords can be stolen. Multi-factor authentication will protect your account even if your strong password is compromised. By activating multi-factor authentication, it can help stop hackers right
in their tracks.
Lauren Patrick, VP of Marketing of Curricula
At the end of the day, companies can never be too secure. Taking your cybersecurity for granted can cost you. Enhancing your security measures, training your employees, and conducting regular checks are some of the best things you can do to ensure your company’s safety.