by admin | Aug 25, 2021 | Uncategorized
Cyber hygiene: The key to your business’s good cyber health We all know that basic hygiene is a must to lead a healthy life. Did you know that the same rule applies to IT as well? There’s something known as cyber hygiene that plays a key role in keeping your business healthy from the IT perspective. So, how do you ensure your business doesn’t fail when it comes to cyber hygiene? Here are a few tips. Follow industry benchmarks and standardsRemember that if an IT practice has gained industry-wide recognition and adoption, it is because it certainly offers some benefits. Protocols like the HTTPS implementation, SSL security certificates, CIS Benchmark, etc., are examples of industry standards that you must follow to maintain good cyber hygiene. Following these standards enhance your cybersecurity quotient and also play a positive role in helping you win your customer’s trust. Stronger IT administrationThe role of an IT administrator is very critical in any organization. IT administration involves exercising control over most of the IT activities with a view to ensure the security of your IT environment is never compromised. Make sure your IT admin rules and policies are clearly formulated and covers everything including- Clear definition of user roles Permission levels for each user role Restrictions regarding download/installation of new software Rules regarding external storage devices IT Audits Conduct regular IT audits to spot vulnerabilities and gaps that may threaten the security of your IT infrastructure. During the IT audits pay special attention to- Outdated software or hardware that is still in use Pending software updates that make an otherwise secure software vulnerable Fix...
by admin | Aug 18, 2021 | Uncategorized
Why do you need a top-down approach to IT security? For any organization, its employees are its biggest assets. But, what happens when your biggest assets turn out to be your greatest threats or liabilities? That is how cybercrime can change the game. In a recent study, it came to light that employee actions account for about 70% of the data breaches that happen. This blog focuses on the first step you need to take as an organization to better prepare your employees to identify and mitigate cyber threats–adopting a top-down approach to IT security. Being a victim of cyber-attack can prove disastrous for your business as it has the following repercussions. Affects your brand image negatively: Business disruption due to downtime or having your important business data including customer and vendor details stolen reflects poorly on your brand. It can cause you to lose customers: Your customers may take their business elsewhere as they may not feel safe sharing their PII with you. Can cost you quite a bit financially: Data breach makes you liable to follow certain disclosure requirements mandated by the law. These most likely require you to make announcements on popular media, which can prove expensive. Plus, you will also have to invest in positive PR to boost your brand value. It makes you vulnerable to lawsuits: You could be sued by customers whose Personally Identifiable Information (PII) has been compromised or stolen. The organizational mindset needs to change and acknowledge the fact that IT security is not ONLY your IT department, CTO or Managed Service Provider’s (MSP) responsibility. You need to truly believe that...
by admin | Aug 11, 2021 | Uncategorized
Strengthening your cybersecurity policies Formulating strong IT policies and laying down the best practices for your staff to follow is one of the best ways to prevent your business from becoming a victim of cybercrime. In this blog, we explore the various areas your IT policy should ideally cover. Passwords: Your IT policy should cover Rules regarding password setting Password best practices The implications of password sharing Corrective actions that will be taken in the event the password policy is not followed Personal devices Rules regarding the usage of personal devices at work or for work purposes. Answer questions like Are all employees allowed to use personal devices for work or do you want to limit it to those handling lesser sensitive data, or to those at higher in the corporate hierarchy as you assume they will need to be available 24/7? Regardless, you should spell out the regulations that they must follow. For example, requiring a weekly or monthly check for malware and updates to anti-malware software, etc., If only certain kinds of devices, software or operating systems may be approved as they are presumed to be more secure, then that should be addressed in the policy Discuss best practices and educate your employees on the risks related to connecting to open internet connections (Free WiFi) such as the ones offered at malls or airports. Cybersecurity measures Document the cybersecurity measures that you have in place for your business. This should include your digital measures such as the software you have deployed to keep malware out–like anti-virus tools, firewalls, etc., and also the physical measures such as CCTV...
by admin | Aug 4, 2021 | Uncategorized
Free Internet Access? Don’t fall for this one One of the popular internet scams that has been doing the rounds since 2017 is the one about “Free Internet”. This scam seems to resurface and somehow manages to claim quite a few unsuspecting victims. Here’s how they catch you. Ads are created on Google, Facebook, popular search engines and social media platforms advertising free internet hours. The ads look professional and show up on general searches and on social media when surfing. This offers a sense of validity. Once you click on the ad, you will be taken to their website, where you will be asked to perform an action, such as Filling out a form with your Personally Identifiable Information (PII) Sharing your credit card information, and though you will be promised that your card won’t be charged, you may end up signing up for something or subscribing to a service for which your card will be charged later. Sharing a few email IDs or phone numbers–basically contacts with whom you will be asked to share the message in return for free internet service. How to stay safe?As always, remember no one offers something for free. Whether it is free internet access or tickets to a concert, if it is something of value, then you will be expected to provide some value in return. Steer clear of offers that seem too good to be true. If you receive a message from someone you know and trust, please let them know that their link may be a problem. No matter what, don’t open a link from anyone if you aren’t...
by admin | Jun 29, 2021 | Uncategorized
How the Coronavirus crisis is the gateway to the other kind of virus To say the COVID-19 pandemic gave the whole world a tough time would be an understatement. Economies collapsed, joblessness rose, people lost their loved ones and livelihoods to the disease. Adding to this situation was the need for social distancing and self-isolation which took a toll on mental health of millions across the world. 10 months into the pandemic or perhaps even before, people started growing tired of it and just when it seemed like humankind will give up collectively, there was a light at the end of the tunnel–Vaccines. While the news of the first vaccine being approved and then administered in December 2020, was a huge victory for humankind and rightly welcomed with claps and cheers, cybercriminals were cheering too. For cybercriminals, this was a great opportunity to exploit the eager, mentally fatigued and vulnerable populace. Emails were sent with phishing links disguised as genuine which urged the recipients to fill a form to access their vaccination schedule and vaccine information. Some emails were made to look like it came from the FDA, United States CDC or the NHS (UK). Some had attachments that required recipients to download them and run exe (executable) files that planted malware into their systems. “E-commerce” sites were created overnight on the dark web and enticed people into ‘placing orders for vaccines’ at $250 each, in the ‘Black market’. The point is, this is not the first organized cybercrime modus operandi and certainly won’t be the last. So, how do you protect yourself? Here are a couple of tips....
