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How To Reduce Your Risk Of Getting Hacked | Faronics
Recently, the world has suffered a massive intensification in hacking. 2021 alone saw a terrifying 105% jump in ransomware cyberattacks. Specific sectors found themselves the focused target, such as healthcare which was rocked by a 755% increase. Oil and gas companies have found themselves under heavy assault, partly because of the broader damage that is attractive to hackers: whole supply chains can cease to function if the energy supply is hit, with a cost to the economy running into several billion, so there’s a raised level of urgency to resolve. High-profile casualties in 2022 have included payment issuers, which again produced widespread collateral pain across multiple industries: in one prominent example, production was lost for three weeks, with many further weeks of no payment being possible with cards in-store or online.
Once ransomware has penetrated an organization’s defenses, it encrypts files and instructs its victims to pay a ransom for decryption. Ransomware has become ever-more lucrative and specialized: whole teams of coders now work on finding vulnerabilities and exploiting them efficiently on successful breaches to experienced negotiators who extract the maximum possible ransom from afflicted corporations and governments.
An attack is often brutal to recover from. Entire IT departments may spend months or even years on disinfection and may never be sure they are clean. In addition to a large number of person-hours, share prices tend to plummet, and less measurable costs include debilitated staff morale and a loss of trust amongst customers and the wider public.
Sadly, it’s an undeniable fact that the risk of getting hacked, already high, is worsening; while that risk is higher for some, it’s present for everyone. In this context, there are specific crucial steps that IT managers should take to reduce their risk significantly.
1. Layer your Security
Hackers are highly determined and capable. So, they need combating with several lines of defense. Top-quality antivirus with a firewall is essential, but what are you running alongside it? Anti-executables can block colleagues from installing software that you haven’t approved. Ransomware prevention will stop the most common ransomware from getting through. Think carefully about all your possible vulnerabilities, and construct as many barriers as possible.
2. Keep Everything Up to Date
The developers of Microsoft Windows and of every software you use are on the same side as you. They’re patching all the time in the arms race against hackers. So, give them the best chance of winning that race by automating all your updates out of production hours. As soon as a fix is available, you want it live. If you’re running out-of-date applications on out-of-date operating systems, you’re unnecessarily opening yourself up to a breach.
3. Embed 2-Factor Authentication
A large proportion of office-based tasks are now carried out through cloud applications. Most of these now offer 2-factor Authentication. This is a simple but highly effective blocker – even if a criminal gains password access, they’d typically need an employee’s phone or email to break through. You could even make a rule that you won’t run any software that doesn’t include this functionality.
4. Train your staff
Keeping staff fully aware of the peril that lurks only one click away is essential. Most people understand the basics, like mistrusting links and attachments, but since the slightest slip could prove catastrophic, they need regular reminding. This can be achieved in several ways, ranging from informal chats and circulating relevant news stories to more secure options, such as compulsory formal training that must be completed at defined intervals.
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