How is business cyber security like an onion?

Last year was a tough year for businesses when it came to cyber security. You may have been personally caught up in some of the larger Australian incidents, like the breaches of Optus and Medibank.

The rising interest in the media and concern in the community following these highly publicised attacks makes it more important than ever for businesses to take measures to protect private and confidential data.

Protecting your technology from cyber threats is now a basic expectation on all sides of business. It underpins the trust you share with your clients, employees and suppliers. 

I’ve put together this article to give you some insights on how to keep your company safe. Just as an onion has lots of layers, protecting our businesses from cyber attacks takes many different elements.

Safety first: The basics of cyber security

First up, you need to make sure your employees know how to keep themselves and your company safe online. This means teaching them basic online safety; like identifying and avoiding suspicious links, and never sharing sensitive information outside appropriate channels.

Next, you need to protect your company’s network from unwanted visitors. This includes setting up firewalls and systems that can detect if someone is trying to break in. You also need to keep an eye on your network to make sure everything is running smoothly, and nothing looks out of place.

Another crucial step is to make sure your apps and software are secure. This means regularly updating them and patching any security holes.

You also need to have a plan in place in case something does go wrong.

Recovering from cyber attack

Sadly, cyber crime is big business and attacks show no sign of slowing down. Despite your best efforts, you may find yourself the victim of a cyber attack.

If your business is breached, here are some of the best mitigations to have in your toolbox.

Make sure important data, like customer information and financial transactions, are encrypted. This way, even if someone does manage to get their hands on anything, they won’t be able to read it. And regularly back-up important data so you can quickly get things back to normal in case of a cyber attack.

Have a clear incident response plan, in case of a cyber attack. This plan should include ways to find and isolate any attack and assess and rectify any damage. Identifying and notifying the relevant or affected parties, such as law enforcement and customers, should also form part of the plan.

Getting help

All in all, protecting your business from cyber threats involves action on many fronts, all of which require careful attention to provide your business with the best possible protection. 

If you’re worried about whether you’ve got the right protections in place, or you’re just not sure; talk to me today and I can arrange a free assessment for you.