The more IT you use, the more conscientious you have to be to ensure that an action you—or your staff—takes doesn’t unwittingly put your business at risk. Today, we’ll go through some ways for you to do your best to stay secure. Let’s get started.
I'm going to start with a relatable scenario. Imagine your phone is stolen. What's the first thing you worry about? Your data, obviously. Your photos, contacts, banking apps. Imagine that kind of concern on a corporate scale. Our data is our livelihood. IT safety matters for you because it protects your personal information, finances, and identity. For our organization, it protects intellectual property, customer data, and our reputation. A single breach can cost a lot, and can even shut a company down. The bottom line is we are all a part of the security team. Your actions, big or small, have a significant impact.
Phishing is the number one threat. This is the act of tricking people into giving up sensitive information, like passwords or credit card numbers, or clicking on malicious links. You can spot it by looking for urgent or threatening language, requests for personal information, unexpected attachments or links from unknown senders, grammatical errors, and a sender's email address that doesn't match the company's official domain. When in doubt, delete it. Never click a suspicious link or download an attachment. If it's a legitimate request, the company will have another way to contact you.
Malware, or malicious software, is any software designed to harm or exploit your computer, network, or data. This includes viruses, which attach to legitimate files and spread; ransomware, which encrypts your files and demands payment; and spyware, which secretly monitors your activity. It spreads through suspicious downloads, infected websites, and malicious email attachments.
Weak passwords are also a major vulnerability. The myth is that your password is hard to guess, but the reality is that brute-force attacks can guess simple passwords in seconds. To create a strong password, use a mix of uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols. It should be long, and you shouldn't reuse it across multiple accounts. A password manager can securely store and generate these complex passwords for you.
Practice the Principle of Least Privilege by only accessing the data and systems you need for your job. This limits the damage if your account is compromised. Always use strong, unique passwords. Passphrases with three unconnected words can work to create long, complex passwords you need to keep your accounts on lockdown.
Lock your device when you step away from your desk to prevent unauthorized access. On Windows, you can press Windows Key + L, and on Mac, you can press Control + Command + Q.
Be skeptical online. Don't connect to unsecured public Wi-Fi for sensitive tasks like banking or corporate work. Always verify before you click a link by hovering your mouse over it to see the actual URL. Avoid downloading software from unofficial sources.
Use two-factor or multi-factor authentication whenever possible. This requires a second form of verification, like a code sent to your phone, in addition to your password. This is crucial because even if an attacker steals your password, they can't access your account without the second factor.
Keep your software updated. Updates often include security patches that fix vulnerabilities attackers could exploit. Enable automatic updates whenever possible, and don't ignore notifications for system updates.
Don't panic, but don't wait. If you get a suspicious email and you're not sure about it, do not click any links or download any attachments. Instead, forward it to our designated IT security email address.
If you suspect your account is compromised, change your password immediately and notify IT support. If you see something out of the ordinary on your computer, like strange pop-ups or a system running unusually slow, turn off your Wi-Fi or unplug your network cable to isolate the device, and then call IT support.
IT security isn't about being paranoid; it's about being prepared. If you would like to learn how First Column IT can help you and your staff be more vigilant against potentially business-ending security threats, give us a call today at (571) 470-5594.
