Tips to Secure Your Network

There are many, many different versions of cybercrime that businesses need to be vigilant about. That being said, most of them can mostly be avoided through a few basic practices and behaviors. Listed below are a few tips to help you prevent attacks from successfully influencing your business, so make sure you share them with your entire team, as well.

1. Consider What You Click On

It’s almost automatic for many users to click on every link they see on a website, in their email, and elsewhere; this is something that hackers are very aware of. You’ll need to build up the habit of hovering your cursor over a link before clicking on it. This will display the actual destination of a link somewhere on your screen, which you should always check so you will know that it is legitimate. 

2. Use Access Controls

While this may be obvious, you need to make sure that someone who isn’t allowed access to your business’ files or location isn’t able to access them. This means that you need to have all the suggested data security measures and practices in place to protect against the unauthorized access of any of your files, including any hard copies. Keep your physical data locked up, and protect all data with multiple layers of authentication requirements.

3. Be on the Lookout for Scammers

While we’ve already covered this in part with tip number one, there are other ways to catch attempted cybercrimes that are often used in conjunction with misleading links. Cybercriminals use various methods, referred to as phishing, to manipulate their targets into behaving the way the attacker wants. Sometimes it is by using a falsified link, sometimes via scare tactics, and often through a combination of the two. Some phishing attacks are researched extensively to be as effective as possible against a certain target, while others are broader and more generic and meant to catch as many people as possible with minimal work. Make sure your team is informed of these attacks and knows to double-check requests through a different communication method if there is any doubt at all. When in doubt? Pick up the phone and call the sender.

4. Two-Ply Protections

Make sure that you are layering your defenses against cyber threats. Maintain an updated antivirus solution and use a virtual private network when accessing the Internet and activate all onboard protections that your devices offer and use all of the assorted solutions and practices that are available for you to leverage. To discourage cybercrime on a comprehensive scale, you need to take thorough actions and fill in all the small holes that could potentially exist in your security.

Macro Systems can help with all of this and more. For answers to any technology questions you may have, or direct assistance in implementing any of this, give us a call today at 703-359-9211.