TOP 5 Lessons for Better Security!

Are you constantly told how important your security is on the internet?  Do you fear that although you know the importance of cybersecurity, you do not fully understand the extent of what how to be secure?

In a recent article written by BizTech Magazine, they shared 5 tips to better online security. We at The IT Company found these lessons so beneficial to your security, we wanted to expand on each of them!

Now that we have your attention, don’t get too excited and start thinking, “if I implement these 5 tips, I will live a 100% secure life and never be a victim of a cyber attack.” While we wish it were that simple, it unfortunately is not. As cybercriminals continue to advance, become more sneaky and creative and find new methods to get in, there is no way to be 100% immune to their attacks. However, the best defense is to continually implement each security solution and take your security seriously, to protect yourself as strongly as possible.

So what are the 5 most recently reported lessons to ensure better security?

1. It is more than just protecting information.
2. Take into consideration motivated attackers.
3. The attack surface available for criminals is continually expanding.
4. Everything has value.
5. Automation and Innovation are key.

#1- It is more than just protecting information. In our world, pretty much everything revolves around technology, and that isn’t changing anytime soon. In fact, in a report from Munich Security, they stated that in 2018, for the first time ever they estimated number of connected and active devices outnumbered the number of humans on earth.

Because technology is something that is apart of almost every aspect of our lives, it is no longer just important to protect the information stored on an individual device.

Earlier this month, expert Keren Elazari, led a discussion at CDW’s IT Leadership SummIT, where he claimed, “Cybersecurity these days is not just about protecting information. It really is about a way of life.”

We could not have summed it up better. When you are thinking about your online security, you need to have the mentality of it being more than just protecting your online information, but truly protecting your entire life.

#2- Take into consideration motivated attackers.  It is easy to believe the motivation behind all cyberattacks is the same. However, it is important to recognize that this is not always the case.

In a recent case, cyber criminals attacked a network to distract and pull the attention one way. While everyone was looking at that attack, it was a method to distract while the hackers completed their actual motivation- to steal money from bank servers.

It is critical to your security to think deeper than the attack that is obvious. What may seem small or specifically targeted could potentially be much more dangerous and in depth than you think.

#3- The attack surface available for criminals is continually expanding. As mentioned above, the number of connected devices is increasing at a rapid speed. And the technology available at people’s finger tips is only getting smarter and more advanced.

Technology is beginning to appear in places where you may not even know it is connected to the internet. For instance, networked cameras, networked printers, and even networked public toilets.

With such technology available the attack surface for criminals is bigger than ever. Things like this are extremely vulnerable due to poor password protection. People aren’t taking the needed steps in password safety because they do not fear their camera being hacked. But what they are failing to understand, is if you have one weak entry point, attackers can use it to access much more critical accounts.

#4- Everything has value. This seems like a simple concept, but it is more important than most realize.

Hackers can take almost anything and use it to their advantage.

Elazari also stated, “When I say everything has value, security issues now have a new cost associated with them. Regulators are a lot more empowered to put on these incredibly big fines, so that is another type of value we have to think about when we think about data and how to protect it.”

What does this mean for you? It is absolutely necessary to take security serious both at work and at home. It means that the security measures you take to protect yourself need to be with ALL accounts, not just the ones you find value in.

#5- Automation and Innovation are key. While technology is continuing to advance and mature, so are cybercriminals. And this is so important to remember.

“We make hundreds of security decisions every day,” Elazari said: “Recycling a password, clicking a link, downloading an application or ignoring a security update. The people who work for you make hundreds of security decisions every day … These decisions will shape our future.”

Elazari is exactly correct, we make hundreds of decisions that can affect our security every single day, without blatantly thinking about it. With this many decisions to make, there is always room for error and mistakes.

That is why is so important to have an IT company you can rely on to be responsive and efficient in keeping you up-to-date and secure on the front end, and makes you a priority when there is a mistake in one of the hundreds of security decisions your company makes daily.

Let The IT Company be there to protect you, inform you and prioritize you. Schedule a meeting with us today.

The top 5 most recently reported lessons for better security are something you should individually and company wide take into consideration daily. But when IT hits the fan, be sure your IT company is there to help.