With cyber attacks up more than 400%1 it’s important to educate your onsite and remote staff on the importance of cyber basics. Cyber attacks are becoming more sophisticated with more evolved bad actors cropping up each day. Luckily, there are several steps that we can take on a daily basis to mitigate risks and stay one step ahead of malefactors. Here are a few quick tips:
Enable MFA
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds that necessary second check to verify your identity when logging in to one of your accounts. By requiring multiple methods of authentication, your account is further protected from being compromised, even if a bad actor hijacks your password. In this way, MFAs make it more difficult for password cracking tools to enable attackers to break into accounts.
Use Strong Passphrases/Password Manager
This may seem obvious, but all too often securing strong passphrases/password managers is overlooked. People spending more time online during the pandemic has certainly contributed to more bad actors prowling for accounts to attack. Using long, complex, and unique passwords is a good way to stop your account from being hacked, and an easy way of keeping track and remembering your passwords is by using a password manager. With our Managed IT Services password manager tool, your organization can automatically discover new Active Directory accounts and password changes, change default passwords, generate strong passwords, eliminate re-use and credential leak and automate routine maintenance offering your organization the ability to easily manage user permissions with role-based access control.
Perform Software Updates
When a device prompts that it’s time to update the software, it may be tempting to simply click postpone, and ignore the message. However, having the latest security software, web browser, and operating system on devices is one of the best defenses against online threats. Pro-active management tools from our Managed Print Services can help with easy management of your printer fleet. These tools can send alerts when devices are out-of-date and allow firmware updates to be deployed quickly and easily. Don’t wait – update.
Do Your Research
Common sense is a crucial part of maintaining good online hygiene, and an intuitive step to stay safe online is to do some research before purchasing a new device or downloading anything new you are downloading to your device, such as apps. Procure devices that have security features already built-in to help minimize the risk of human error. Before downloading any new app on your device, check who created the app, what the user reviews say, and if there are any articles published online about the app’s privacy and security features. If you’re not sure what security features work best for your business, our Managed IT Services team of skilled professionals can help you identify, select and procure the right technology to fit your business needs.
Check your Security Settings
Be diligent to double check your privacy and security settings, and be aware who can access your documents. This extends from cloud-based document storage, to online meeting calls, and beyond. For online meeting software, for example, create passwords so only those invited to the session can attend, and restrict who can share their screen or files with the rest of the attendees. Review your active accounts regularly to ensure proper access and permissions and unused or dormant accounts aren’t exploited as vulnerabilities. Our account monitoring and control tools can help you to review all of your active accounts and easily disable former employee or contractor accounts, any account that cannot be associated with a business process or owner, and dormant accounts after an established period of time.
Perform a Security Assessment
Start with our FREE HP SMB Print Security Assessment and identify your organization’s top 5 security vulnerabilities. Receive your custom results and recommendations on how to address and close critical gaps. Take your assessment to the next level by scheduling a consultation with our Managed IT Services team and they’ll work with you to choose the right assessment for an in-depth analysis of your network security featuring essential security tools. To help support organizations getting back to basics, we’re offering this limited-time bonus during Cybersecurity Awareness Month – Complete a consultation with IMAGETEC’s Managed IT Services by October 29, 2021 and receive a FREE HP Firmware Assessment and FREE HP Quick Assess with HP JetAdvantage Security Manager, valued at $995.
Being cyber smart and maintaining stellar online hygiene is the best way to protect yourself and your organization from cyber attacks. No single tip is foolproof, but taken together they can make a real difference for taking control of your online presence. By taking pro-active measures and making a habit of practicing online safety, you can decrease your odds of being hacked exponentially – and prevent lost time and money, as well as annoyance.
Contact us today at 800.870.0225 or send us a message if you’d like to see how our Managed Print and Managed IT Services teams can partner with your organization to help you manage more of these basic tasks so you can focus on your business.
1 https://www.zdnet.com/article/fbi-says-cybercrime-reports-quadrupled-during-covid-19-pandemic
