How do you know if your company’s cybersecurity efforts are working? Is the lack of a data breach enough to tell you that you’re doing well? Maybe, maybe not. Read on to learn about analyzing your risks and using that information to keep your systems and data safe, and your company doing business.
Start with Analyzing Your Company’s Risks
It used to be that companies just needed a firewall, some security patches and endpoint protection to protect digital assets. Nowadays, the secure perimeter is far outside company walls, with numerous endpoints connected to networks as employees work anywhere and everywhere. Events of the past few years have introduced new security challenges, including the uncertain security of network endpoints. More than tools, a comprehensive understanding of your firm’s risks and the consequences of these risks will help with security efforts. A good place to start is considering your company’s unique risk picture. What are your mission-critical data and applications, and what are the consequences of a data breach? Perhaps your business is subject to compliance regulations like HIPAA or PCI-DSS, or even GDPR. Financial and reputational consequences also exist, like the cost of downtime and clients’ trust in you to keep their data safe.
Multiple Layers Increase Security
A layered approach to security, more than any single technical tool, will help protect your company’s digital assets. Network monitoring is one such layer, showing both normal and suspicious activity. Multi-factor authentication protects your workers by keeping information out of the hands of attackers. Training your workers to spot phishing emails that can carry ransomware, and educating them in password maintenance, gives them the tools to keep bad actors out. Principles of zero trust, like identity access management and giving users the least access they need to perform functions, can also protect data and applications.
While there is no such thing as perfect cybersecurity, your business can take many steps to protect itself and keep running. For a risk assessment, contact your technology advisor today.