Cybersecurity In Companies, Increasingly Critical

Cybersecurity in companies continues to be a concern that does not lead to effective actions.Currently, eight out of ten computer crimes are committed against companies and institutions around the world. Consequently, the losses caused by these acts could exceed 1,000 million euros per year, in the opinion of specialists.

Next, we will review the concept of cybersecurity and its importance. Likewise, we will identify the most common actions of cyber hacking . Finally, we will share some efficient measures to protect the data of your company and that of your clients.

Cybersecurity In Companies: What Is It And Why Is It So Important?

Basically, cybersecurity in companies brings together all the specialized strategies and tools focused on protecting the information obtained and managed by the organization. Furthermore, it covers the protection of the devices and networks through which the data circulates.

Indeed, both the measures and the tools and other digital solutions implemented for this purpose seek to block and counteract external and internal threats such as:

• Fraudulent extraction of sensitive data.
• Virus attacks to sabotage company operations.
• Data manipulation to carry out unauthorized or illegal movements ( phishing ).
• Industrial or corporate espionage by unfair competitors.

In reality, the technological transformation and the development of the Internet are making the procedures of companies in all productive sectors easier and more agile. But, also, their connectivity needs make them vulnerable to any action against the integrity of the information they handle and the internal performance itself.

The Most Common Attacks That Cybersecurity Can Prevent In Companies

Surely, you hear about such cases in the news and think that this will not happen in your company. But the reality is different, malware has many ways to infiltrate your devices and connections. That is why it is essential to promote cybersecurity in companies to avoid these risks. Here we detail some of them:

Malware

It is the generic name for harmful applications that manage to infiltrate our computers and devices. Computer viruses are part of them, but there are also Trojans, worms, spyware, adware and ransomware, to mention the most important ones.

Virus

Without a doubt, these harmful codes are the most common cause of concern for corporate and home users. The worst thing is that to get into the systems they need to be executed ; for this, they hide under the guise of harmless applications and utilities. Once active, they invade computers and network devices, including virtual and remote machines.

Trojans

Similarly, Trojans are very common. They often reach our systems by also hiding under legitimate-looking files, such as viruses. The big difference is that they are not visible, their objective is to open an access or back door in our systems . In this way, they facilitate the entry of other malicious applications; for example to gain access to our data and activity without our knowledge.

Spyware And Adware

The former are installed by themselves or through the use of a secondary application. They silently steal information about device usage, hard drive data, and Internet activity.

For its part, adware is introduced into our computers with the aim of displaying invasive advertising while we surf the net.

Worms And Ransomware: Challenges For Cybersecurity In Companies

worms

On the other hand, there are worms, silent malware with great replication capacity. They don’t seem to mess with your computers, but once inside, they track down and take over your contact lists . And to these it sends its copies to invade their computers.

Currently, they are used to expand botnets or networks through which an operator can send massive spam, malware and cyber attacks such as DDoS (denial of service). The latter are capable of affecting the communications of various regions of the world, as well as large corporations, such as those recorded in recent history.

Ransomware

To this day, it is one of the most fearsome and common cyber attacks. In short, ransomware enters the system supported by a worm, encrypts files and locks devices . Then, it displays a screen announcing the action and demanding payment as a ransom; it usually requests payment in bitcoins or via PayPal, to hide the identity of the attacker. Once the requested amount is received, they offer the code to decrypt the data.

Essential Actions For Cybersecurity In Companies

For all of the above, it is essential to apply solutions to shield data and equipment against computer attacks. Here are some recommendations based on which you can put together a cybersecurity scheme.

Establish A Security Protocol

Cybersecurity in companies must be based on a defined strategy. In it, it is necessary to specify the available technological park and identify the company’s processes that require interaction with the network. Likewise, it is essential to formalize prevention regulations and contingency plans in the event of computer attacks.

Restrict Access To Devices And Data

Precisely, it is a priority and complex matter. Today, company employees have extensive access to company data and applications ; For this reason, application firewall systems are one of the essential aspects in this area of ​​cybersecurity. Similarly, the connection from mobile devices and the use of platforms for remote work is increasingly common.

Therefore, it is a priority to define an access policy, whose main premise is that of minimum knowledge ( need to know ). That is, each worker must strictly access only the data that he needs for his performance.

At the same time, it is vital to determine the classification of all the data managed by the company, differentiating between confidential information and that which is necessary for each department. Similarly, it is convenient to establish a restricted data access procedure only for cases that require it.

Backups And Antimalware: Essential For Cybersecurity In Companies

Definitely, making backup copies of the information and data that are managed is a priority action for cybersecurity in companies . In this sense, the backup of files in backups and cloud services are very useful against attacks such as ransomware, avoiding the payment of “ransom”. After the incident, it is possible to format the affected devices and restore the data again.

On the other hand, it is also essential to encrypt the company’s sensitive information to prevent access by third parties as much as possible. In the same way, it is essential to set a useful period for the information, especially in the case of customer data. In this case, an expiration time must be established, after which said information can be safely and irrevocably destroyed.

Investment In Anti Malware And System Monitoring

Fortunately, there are companies on the market with great reputations and experience in the field of cybersecurity for the detection and elimination of cyber threats. Any company, regardless of its size, must understand that data is an invaluable asset that needs the best possible protection. Consequently, investment in security tools appropriate to the type of information managed, with original license and constant updates is unavoidable.

Other Effective Measures For Greater Cybersecurity In Companies

Some additional measures may probably be unpopular with employees; but it is inexcusable to establish a certain discipline in the performance of the collaborators. Let’s see some of these standards that are highly recommended to improve cybersecurity in companies :

• Goodbye to external memories. In fact, USB devices ( pen drives ) are no longer in use and their status as a malware transmitting agent is more than proven. If some of your collaborators work remotely or from home, it is preferable to process and store data in the cloud.
• Avoid indiscriminate downloading of files from email . Strictly, any document that is required from the email must be analyzed by the antivirus software available.
• Restrict the use of social networks . In other words, it is necessary to prevent employees from reviewing their RRSS accounts using Wi-Fi or the company’s physical network. This access to social networks should be limited to community managers , in case the organization has activity in social media marketing.
• Alert in time about any threat . It is essential to make employees aware of the importance of informing the IT department of any signs of malware and other threats. Timely warning allows immediate and effective action to be taken.

Obviously, there are more feasible measures to strengthen cybersecurity in companies . But, the essential thing is that each member of the team, including managers, internalize and comply with them.

Also Read: Online Training In IT Security: New Awareness Offer For SMEs