Recently, the Biden Administration passed an infrastructure bill which included about $1 trillion in funding to government cybersecurity. This shone a new and much-needed light on the fact that government organizations, and the people within them, should be aware and diligent when it comes to cyber threats.
Recently, a number of cybersecurity attacks showed the U.S. Government the importance of having a secure infrastructure, designed to withstand cyber threats. With so much of day-to-day life moving online both as a result of the pandemic and due to evolving technology, cyberattacks are more and more commonplace. However, state and local governments, especially ones located in more rural areas, are often ill-equipped to handle them.
With this funding, Senator Maggie Hassan, who was a key influence in including the funds in this bill for this reason specifically, hopes to provide state and local governments with the tools and resources necessary to strengthen their cybersecurity.
With these issues finally being brought to light and resources being diverted to them, it might be time to take a look at your own government branch and see where you can improve the cybersecurity measures within your own team of government employees.
There is no training or measures required for state and local governments to take to improve cybersecurity. This both places the burden of responsibility on management and allows you to honestly evaluate the needs of your branch and request the appropriate resources.
Something as simple as providing your team with online resources and training can be crucial to strengthening cybersecurity and protecting the infrastructure and economy of your community
Perhaps the more rural areas and their local governments were without resources to provide this sort of training to your team before. But now, with a new push towards not only encouraging re-enforcement in this area, but also providing the funding to allow it, getting local government employees trained via simple, effective, and cheap online courses is easier than ever!
Is your government organization’s IT system secure?
This is something that may be difficult to properly determine due to the constantly evolving nature of IT systems in general.
Why?
Because the security standards that were in place during the initial set-up of your IT systems (or even when you last updated them) may no longer meet the standards of today.
Given the rise in cybersecurity attacks in recent years, properly assessing the security of these systems may mean the difference between enjoying another smooth workday and having to deal with a troubling data breach.
The exercise involves the identification of internal and external issues that work in favor of or to the detriment of the health and security of your IT systems.
This approach to IT security works best when performed systematically which, in short, means defining your security objectives before initiating the SWOT analysis.
These objectives can be anything from reducing the chances of cybersecurity breaches to determining the vulnerability of your organization’s Internet of Things (IoT) devices.
There are many options to choose from, but a good rule of thumb is to ensure that whatever objectives you set can be measured with relevant metrics.
Now that we’ve covered the basics, it’s time to take a closer look at some example Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats that may be relevant to your local government organization.
Strengths
For smaller local governments, one strength can be the size of the organization.
A larger organization can have more loose ends that are difficult to tie down, while a smaller organization may be nimbler, have tighter internal communication, and be easier to keep secure.
Another strength may be the number of IoT devices in use, such as cameras, routers, etc. Does your data center exist in a climate-controlled environment? If so, this would also be a strength since it increases system reliability, which reduces potential downtime.
Weaknesses
Determining the weaknesses of your organization’s IT system can be a bit trickier than pinpointing its strengths.
Most weaknesses tend to be technical in nature, and as a result, they can be as small as having poor cable management or as large as lacking an overall patch management system.
The important thing when identifying weaknesses is to ensure that they are well-defined so that it is easy to act on them.
Some other weaknesses might include a lack of antivirus programs, not employing a reasonable number of staff on tech support, or not having a defined security culture within the organization.
Opportunities
Unlike weaknesses, identifying opportunities for your IT systems can be a fairly straightforward process. Are there new software tools that can improve your security? What about tools that could automate previously manual processes?
Does your organization have a surplus of funds, and if so, would it make sense to allocate them to your IT department? Such opportunities are typically low in cost and can save your organization a vast amount of time, money, and energy if acted upon.
Threats
Threats, like opportunities, are generally easy to define. For instance, open Wi-Fi connections are an obvious threat as they grant network access to individuals with malicious intent.
Another threat that is easy to overlook is the age of your computer systems, since older systems may slow productivity and result in unnecessary downtime.
Depending on the location of your organization, it may be prudent to consider environmental threats to your IT systems. Would your data centers be susceptible to damage via earthquakes? What about hurricanes?
Identifying these threats may also help you recognize opportunities. For instance, if most of your data centers are on-site, it may make sense to experiment with cloud storage.
How to Begin Your SWOT Analysis
The first place to begin a SWOT analysis is with a good template, which can be found in the document linked here. There are other templates online that may better suit your organization, so feel free to look elsewhere. The next step is to begin the security assessment.
Attempting to assess the security of your organization’s IT system can be a difficult internal task for many reasons. One reason may be that your team is too close to the problem to clearly see it. Another might be that your entire team is too busy to deal with it appropriately.
These barriers, among others, are why hiring an experienced outside assessor could help. Someone with expertise in this area would be able to smoothly analyze all four parts of your IT system’s SWOT without much difficulty.
If your organization has neither the time to handle a full SWOT analysis on your own, nor the budget to hire an external assessor, don’t worry.
Another viable exercise is to set up a two-day workshop where everyone within the IT department of your organization brainstorms a list of strengths, opportunities, weaknesses, and threats.
This would by no means be as thorough as a formal SWOT analysis, but the effort could still go a long way.
The most important thing is to take action sooner than later, especially since the number of cybersecurity threats aimed towards government organizations is only going to increase as technology inevitably continues to advance.
Expert Cybersecurity Tips on Demand
Understanding how to conduct a formal SWOT analysis is important, but it’s only one facet of protecting your IT system from cybersecurity attacks.
To continue your learning, ETS offers a wide selection of quality videos, ebooks, and courses covering a variety of IT and management-related topics.
Become proficient in relevant subjects such as phishing, malware, ransomware, and more. You’ll gain access to the knowledge needed to improve your system’s security so that, when the next threat comes your way, you’ll be more than ready.
Schedule your free consultation to learn more.
Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!
Cybersecurity threats in schools are growing and demand immediate attention to protect everyone’s sensitive information.
Since January of 2016, there have been 418 cybersecurity Incidents (and counting) in K-12 schools across the United States.
That number will continue climbing if schools don’t tighten their IT security.
But why are hackers targeting schools?
Well, according to Mary Kavaney, the chief operating officer of the Global Cyber Alliance, “school environments often don’t have a lot of technology resources dedicated to security, but have some of the richest personal information on people, including social security numbers, birth dates, and, potentially, medical and financial information.”
She went on to say, “If bad actors can access student [personal data], that information can be exploited for the purpose of fraud and committing crimes for years before it is detected. It’s often only upon application for a job, or application for financial aid to attend college that students find out that their social security number has been used fraudulently — they may have poor credit due to false applications against their history, or worse, find that crime has been committed in their name.”
To solve this problem, schools first have to know what techniques cyberattackers use to hack their school.
We wrote about phishing in this post on cybersecurity tips for employees. It’s one of the most effective and dangerous hacking techniques.
Phishing is simple: a hacker sends an email pretending to be someone they’re not (like a personal acquaintance, coworker, vendor, etc.) and usually asks you to click a link within the email. The link will install malware on your system and allow the hacker to access personal information or creep from your computer to someone else’s to access your data.
DDoS
DDoS attacks are another favorite of cyberattackers.
It works like this: hackers build a network of infected computers (botnets) and use them to flood your server with traffic, crashing it. While your data won’t be stolen, it can certainly be lost, along with plenty of worker productivity, and money, as a result.
Data Breach
A data breach is the big one everyone should worry about, for good reason. It’s how hackers steal identities, credit cards, and any other valuable information that can be abused or sold.
According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), “The number of U.S. data breach incidents tracked in 2017 hit a new record high of 1,579 breaches.” That means there’s been a “44.7% increase over the record high figures reported for 2016.”
Ransomware
Ransomware is one of the scariest cybersecurity threats out there. Hackers infiltrate your computer (through other techniques like phishing) and then encrypt your data and require you to pay a ransom to regain access to the data.
The most infamous ransomware is WannaCry, which infiltrated over 200,000 computers in 150 countries in 2017.
IoT Vulnerabilities
The “Internet of Things” (IoT) is a growing line of devices, appliances, and other objects that are connected to the internet. From watches to coffee grinders to thermostats, these little machines offer new innovations and many more dangers.
Many IoT devices aren’t regularly updated and often lack the security measures required to prevent hacking attempts.
How to Combat Cybersecurity Threats in Schools
Schools are vulnerable, as we’ve made abundantly clear in this post.
But you can protect your school, your students, and your data from hackers.
This gets students involved in hunting for cybersecurity solutions and potentially prevents some students from launching their own hacking attacks against their school.
Plus, they may be able to help administrators ward off attacks.
The only thing needed is an on-demand portal where students can learn basic and advanced cybersecurity skills in the classroom, the bedroom, or on the go.
Enterprise Solutions can be that portal.
We offer books, videos, and courses on topics such as:
Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs To Know
Cybersecurity: Public Sector Threats and Responses
Implementing the NIST Cybersecurity Framework
And much more.
To get started, claim your free 14-day trial of Enterprise Systems below.
Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!
To answer the question of what is CISSP certification you should know why it’s important.
CISSP certification is #1 on the list of the 8 most in-demand IT certifications, according to CIO.com.
And Burning Glass reported that “the demand for certified cybersecurity talent is outstripping supply. In the U.S., employers posted 49,493 jobs requesting a CISSP, recruiting from a pool of only 65,362 CISSP holders nationwide.”
This spells out huge opportunities for motivated IT professionals who want to work in the private sector and public sector because even the Department of Defense considers CISSP certification one of the lead qualifiers for getting hired in their department.
If you’re interested in earning this prestigious certification, let’s look at what CISSP is, how to get certified, and how to start preparing for the CISSP exam today.
What is CISSP Certification?
CISSP certification was developed by (ISC)² to be the world’s most-valued cybersecurity certification. According to (ISC)², employers prefer CISSP 3 to 1 over any other credential.
CISSP demonstrates that the certified holder can design, engineer, implement, and run an information security program.
A wide array of IT professionals choose to get CISSP certified, including:
CIOs.
IT directors.
Security systems engineers.
And many more.
Once certified, (ISC)² provides a number of member benefits.
From digital badges that let you show off your newly acquired skill set to a free subscription to the bi-monthly newsletter InfoSecurity Professional Magazine. CISSP certification benefits extend beyond just a new job title.
But before you can access these benefits, you’ll have to pass the exam.
The exam will take you 6 hours to complete and contains 250 questions. Some are in multiple choice, and some are in “advanced innovative” formats, which are drag-and-drop and “hotspot” type of questions. Here’s a preview of these types of questions from the InfoSec Institute.
There are 8 “domains” that you’ll be tested on, each carrying a different weight in the final score. For example, Security and Risk Management accounts for 15% of your final exam grade, as compared to Asset Security which only accounts for 10%. Knowing this will help you prioritize your study materials.
What Are the CISSP Requirements to Pass the Exam and Get Certified?
Out of 1000 points, you have to pass the CISSP exam with a score of 700 or higher.
You also need at least 5 years of full-time work experience in at least 2 of these 8 domains:
Security and Risk Management
Asset Security
Security Architecture and Engineering
Communication and Network Security
Identity and Access Management (IAM)
Security Assessment and Testing
Security Operations
Software Development Security
You can either receive this work experience prior to taking the exam or after. However, if you take the exam without meeting the required 5 years of work experience in at least 2 domains, you will NOT be certified.
Instead, you’ll receive the title Associate of (ISC)². You can leverage this title to gain greater employment and use it become a member of (ISC)² with all the benefits included. Then once you meet the other requirements, you’ll receive your certification.
And More than 2,000 Windows-based computers at CDOT offices in Colorado were brought down by a virus known as SamSam.
What do all these attacks have in common?
They all involve local governments and they all happened earlier this year.
Your local government could be next.
To help you prevent a potential attack, we’ll show you why local government cybersecurity is in such poor condition, the top threats local governments face, and a few surefire local government IT solutions you can implement immediately.
How Bad is State and Local Government Cybersecurity?
Really, really bad.
At least, according to the Cybersecurity 2016 Survey conducted by the International City/County Management Association (ICMA), in partnership with the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).
Here’s what they found:
44% of all respondents said they experience cyberattacks on a daily basis
39.9% of local governments DO NOT catalog and count attacks
66.4% of local governments use an informal system of cybersecurity management, as opposed to a formal system
62.4% of local governments have NO IDEA whether they’re being breached or not
51.3% of local governments say they’re not practicing better cybersecurity because they receive no end-user training whatsoever
These are dismal findings and point to a worrying lack of proactive steps being taken to protect vital information and infrastructure in local governments across the nation.
Without a formal system of cybersecurity, a record of attacks, and proper cybersecurity training, you’re exposing your agency to a variety of serious cyberthreats.
What are the Greatest Cybersecurity Threats to Local Governments?
So we looked at what others predict as the greatest cyberthreats to local government. Here are a few we found from OneNeck IT Solutions:
Denial of Service Attack (DDoS)
A DDoS attack is a cyberthreat that attempts to shut down a system or make it inoperable by flooding it with traffic from multiple sources.
Hackers build networks of infected computers, called botnets, by spreading malicious software to machines – allowing them to control those infected computers remotely to carry out a DDoS attack.
Social engineering is a catch-all term that refers to various methods of manipulation used against end-users to install malicious malware or steal data.
Phishing is one of the most common forms of social engineering. It relies on fake emails embedded with malicious links that install malware when clicked or fake websites that steal your login information after you’ve entered it.
All forms of social engineering attempt to trick you into giving the hackers control over your machine or access to information they can use to extort your agency.
Advanced Persistent Threats (APT)
APT is a set of continuous computer hacking processes that use stealth tactics to infiltrate your network and remain undetected for as long as it takes to gain access to privileged information and steal sensitive data.
APT attacks may initially use phishing or any other social engineering scam to create one or multiple backdoor entry points, allowing other hackers to worm their way into your network, slowly chipping away at the rest of your IT security layer until they’re discovered or achieve their objective.
How to Improve Government IT Security
The sad state of local government cybersecurity combined with the dangerous cyberthreats they face paints a grim picture for the future, but all is not lost.
There are numerous steps local governments can take to improve IT security across their organization.
Here are some of the most important steps you can take today and into the future:
Perform a Security Assessment
How do you know if your local government is secure?
By inspecting and testing your entire IT infrastructure to identify and secure weaknesses externally and internally.
By knowing your vulnerabilities, you can direct your limited resources to fix the weakest links in your cybersecurity chain.
Work Together with Other Governments
Governments from the federal to the state and local level are under attack from cybercriminals. To beat them, governments need to join forces to share knowledge and resources.
Intergovernmental cooperation strengthens your cybersecurity position by learning from the successes and failures of other governments’ IT security policies while gaining access to experts you may not have in your agency.
Outsource IT Security
Speaking of IT security experts, they’re not always kept in-house. And in many cases, IT experts who are trained to handle the looming threats of today (while anticipating the threats of the future) are difficult to find in the public sector.
That’s why many local governments choose to outsource their IT services.
Plus, since the lack of appropriate funding is often pointed to as one of the biggest reasons why robust cybersecurity in local governments is lacking, it makes sense to hire a private company that will cost far less than hiring in-house staff.
Enable User Access Management
User access management, also called privileged access management (PAM) is a method of controlling what information each team member can access.
Since end-users are typically the weakest cybersecurity links in your organization, and hackers rely on tricking them to gain access to more privileged information, it logically follows that you should restrict end-users’ access to sensitive information whenever possible.
Most people in most positions only need a specific set of data to do their jobs.
Therefore, they should be restricted from accessing any information outside of that core data set to protect your agency from infiltration in the case that an end-user falls victim to a phishing attack, for example.
Adopt the NIST Framework
The NIST Framework provides a common language and systematic methodology for managing cybersecurity risks.
The latest version of the NIST framework was released on April 16, 2018.
According to Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross, “The voluntary NIST Cybersecurity Framework should be every company’s first line of defense. Adopting version 1.1 is a must do for all CEO’s.”
But it’s not just made for the private sector. The NIST Framework has been successfully adopted by federal, State, and local governments.
According to NIST Director Walter G. Copan, “The release of the Cybersecurity Framework Version 1.1 is a significant advance that truly reflects the success of the public-private model for addressing cybersecurity challenges.”
Establish a Cybersecurity Culture
Every employee in your agency should be hyper-vigilant against impending cyberthreats.
It’s not just managers, commissioners, and elected executives who have to worry about these threats. In fact, it’s their job to instill a cybersecurity awareness culture from the top-down.
In the same way that you can create a culture of continuous learning in your agency, you should attempt to create a culture of continuous cybersecurity learning and training in your agency.
Train Your Employees
We’ve been harping heavily on the vulnerability of end-users, which is why the most important cybersecurity tip we can offer you is to train your employees.
There’s no high-tech substitute for smart, safe, and knowledgeable employees. They are your last line of defense against threats.
A hacker can send out all the phishing emails he wants, bypassing all your internet and email security systems. But if none of your employees fall for the scam, your data will remain safe.
So what’s the best way to train your employees in cybersecurity?
Find and use high-quality cybersecurity training resources.
But where can you find cybersecurity training made specifically for local governments?
Right here at Enterprise Training. Below are just a few of the many guides we have available for you.
Cyber Threat!: How to Manage the Growing Risk of Cyber Attacksreveals the extent of the cybersecurity problem, and provides a plan to change course and better manage and protect critical information.
Cyber Security Culture: Counteracting Cyber Threats through Organizational Learning and Training provides in-depth research to assist managers in forming policies that prevent cyber intrusions, put robust security systems and procedures in place, and arrange appropriate training interventions.
The Information Systems Security Officers Guide: Establishing and Managing a Cyber Security Program Third Edition provides information on how to combat the ever-changing myriad of threats security professionals face by presenting practical advice on establishing, managing, and evaluating a successful information protection program in a corporation or government agency.
And here’s a sample video from one of our cybersecurity courses:
If you want these guides and even more cybersecurity training, then contact us below to get started with a free 14-day trial of Enterprise Training.
Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!
This trend is predicted to continue if companies and governments don’t use stronger logins such as multi-factor authentication or risk-based authentication.
Cyberattackers Will Rely on AI to Hack Your Data
Why do the work yourself when a computer can do it for you?
That’s exactly what many hackers thought as they began implementing AI-powered cyberattacks.
Here are a few ways hackers can execute attacks using AI:
Phishing, spam, and fraud using chatbots
AI-powered password hacking
AI attacks on AI cybersecurity software
Attacks on IoT Devices Will Rise
It’s only getting easier for hackers to infiltrate the Internet of Things. That’s partly driven by the increasing prevalence of IoT devices.
More than half of major new business processes and systems will incorporate some element of the Internet of Things by 2020, according to Gartner, Inc. This applies to government agencies as well.
The most common method used to hack an IoT device is a botnet – a collection of compromised IoT devices, such as cameras, routers, DVRs, wearables and other embedded technologies, infected with malware.
IoT botnets spread fast, attempting to infect as many devices as possible, potentially compromising hundreds of thousands of machines.
The infamous Reaper botnet infected a million networks alone.
Carefully choosing what IoT devices you use and don’t use is one of the few ways to minimize these types of attacks until security for these devices becomes more robust and effective.
Cyber-Hijacking Will Become More Commonplace
As more transportation systems operate automatically (without safeguarding their software), hackers will be able to hijack their systems remotely and demand a ransom before relinquishing control.
The rise of self-driving cars in the next few years will make this issue even more urgent.
GDPR Will Force Companies and Governments Globally to Strengthen Security or Face Stiff Fines
The General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) will come into effect on May 25, 2018 and will mark a new era of mandatory cybersecurity compliance in the EU and across the world.
The GDPR was “designed to harmonize data privacy laws across Europe, to protect and empower all EU citizens data privacy and to reshape the way organizations across the region approach data privacy.”
While the GDPR can be seen as a big step in the right direction, it does scare many businesses and governments globally who are far away from complying with these new regulations.
And if companies or governments under the jurisdiction of the GDPR don’t report a breach to a regulator within 72 hours, they could face fines of 2-4 percent of global revenue.
According to The Hill, “A suspected North Korean hacking campaign has expanded to targets in 17 different countries, including the U.S., pilfering information on critical infrastructure, telecommunications and entertainment organizations, researchers say.
Cybersecurity firm McAfee released new research on the hacking campaign this week, calling it Operation GhostSecret and describing the attackers as having “significant capabilities” to develop and use multiple cyber tools and rapidly expand operations across the globe.”
That’s just one example in a string of examples of States initiating cyberattacks on other States.
Governments must ensure that their networks are isolated from the internet, their systems are extensively checked regularly, and their employees are trained to identify and prevent cyberattacks.
What Can You Do to Guard Against These Cybersecurity Threats in 2018?
Knowing your enemy is only half the battle.
The second half is knowing how to prevent them from attacking you and knowing what to do if you are attacked.
We’ve compiled a few critical resources to help you train your employees and protect your agency against cybercriminals.
Cyber Threat!: How to Manage the Growing Risk of Cyber Attacksreveals the extent of the cybersecurity problem, and provides a plan to change course and better manage and protect critical information.
Cyber Security Culture: Counteracting Cyber Threats through Organizational Learning and Training provides in-depth research to assist managers in forming policies that prevent cyber intrusions, put robust security systems and procedures in place, and arrange appropriate training interventions.
The Information Systems Security Officers Guide: Establishing and Managing a Cyber Security Program Third Edition provides information on how to combat the ever-changing myriad of threats security professionals face by presenting practical advice on establishing, managing, and evaluating a successful information protection program in a corporation or government agency.
And here’s a sample video from one of our cybersecurity courses:
If you want to discover powerful tools, tactics, and strategies for protecting your organization against cyberattacks, then you need to get these critical guides.
How do you get them?
By contacting us directly and getting a free 14-day trial of Enterprise Training below.
Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!
Of nearly 1,000 clients in 133 countries, over 95% of all cybersecurity incidents involved “human error” as a contributing factor.
According to the report, “The most commonly recorded form of human errors include system misconfiguration, poor patch management, use of default usernames and passwords or easy-to-guess passwords, lost laptops or mobile devices, and disclosure of regulated information via use of an incorrect email address.”
With Cybersecurity Awareness Month beginning in 2 days, it’s the perfect time to help your co-workers brush up on their IT security knowledge.
8 Cybersecurity Tips for Protecting Your Agency
Here are 8 cybersecurity tips that you can use to help the end users in your agency recommit to cybersecurity best practices.
We’ve also included a few ideas on how you can educate your employees on these tips to help you create a basic program for educating, training, and encouraging everyone in your agency to play a proactive role in protecting your organization from cyberattackers.
Create Strong Passwords
This is an essential cybersecurity tip for people who don’t quite understand the nuances of IT security and the risks of an easy-to-hack password.
Let them know that one of the most powerful security organizations in the world, the Department of Homeland Security, specifically suggests these tips:
Never use your name, or the names of your kids or pets, or any other easily findable information about yourself
Break up your passwords with marks and symbols like @, !, #, 1, 9, etc.
Always use a combination of lowercase and uppercase letters
You should also consider implementing a “password change policy” that mandates a routine password change every 45-90 days, with an explicit rule against using the same password over and over again but with a different number or character at the end (we’re sure you’re well aware of THAT guy).
Lock up All Your Devices Whenever You Leave Them
When your employees leave to take a lunch break, go to the bathroom, or go home at the end of the day, you need to make sure they always remember to lock their computer, tablet, phone, or other device that stores sensitive information.
The few minutes it takes for them to grab a snack or smoke a cigarette is just enough time a malicious insider needs to steal valuable data.
There are 2 things you can do to get your employees in the habit of locking their machines:
Both are humorous, fun, and effective ways to get everyone involved in identifying bad security practices.
Be Aware of Phishing Emails
This is an essential and easily forgotten cybersecurity tip:
Be hypervigilant regarding your email and links in your email – you might be getting “phished.”
You have to repeat this over and over and over again to people who don’t live and breathe cybersecurity.
Educate your employees about phishing and tell them that it’s one of the most common email scams out there.
Let them know how it works:
The “phisher” poses as a legitimate business, agency, or person and sends you a spoofed message.
The message is usually urgent, and the sender will almost always ask you to click on a link to resolve the issue.
Once you click on the link, it will either install malware on your device or send you to a spoofed website that steals the information you input into it.
And let them know how to avoid being phished:
Double-check the sender to verify it’s an email address you recognize.
Look for blatant and consistent spelling errors in the body of the email (this is a hallmark of both spam and phishing emails).
Contact the sender directly, either in person or by phone, to verify that they actually sent you an email.
One thing we can all agree on is that the end user absolutely needs an antivirus because they’re far more likely to engage in riskier behavior than you are.
Let your employees know how critical a VPN is to their security and safety, especially when accessing data remotely.
Enforce a policy that simply states “every employee must access the company’s network using their VPN.”
Enforce Strict Access Privileges
Your staff should only have access to information that they need to access in order to perform their job functions.
Any access beyond that point puts your agency at risk.
Financial data, other employees’ data, official information, etc. should only be accessed by particular team members and managers.
Use access control on your organization’s intranet, on commonly used software, and on any other work-related programs.
Develop a Disaster Recovery Plan
A disaster recovery plan (DRP) is a set of procedures and resources to control the fallout of an unexpected attack, accident, or disaster.
A good DRP eliminates guesswork and enhances your team’s response effectiveness during an emergency.
To develop a solid plan, make sure to:
Take inventory of all your hardware, software, devices, and data
Ensure everything is consistently being backed up
Ensure you have the appropriate hardware and software required to perform a backup if needed
Assign a project manager to oversee the creation and maintenance of your DRP
Test your plan regularly to ensure it can appropriately respond to unexpected threats
Get your whole team involved in creating and executing your DRP
Provide On-Going Cyber Security Training to Your Staff
Use our cybersecurity tips to begin engaging your employees in an ongoing effort to protect your agency from cyberattackers.
Attempt to cultivate a cybersecurity awareness culture amongst all of your employees. Make it so that it’s not just October when everyone starts practicing good online behavior – they take cybersecurity seriously all year-round
If you want to secure your agency against serious threats, then get serious about training and educating your staff about the importance of cybersecurity.
Of course, only IT professionals need IT exam preparation tips to prepare for certification tests to upgrade their skills and knowledge
But your employees could benefit from formal courses in order to help defend your agency from serious threats.
Now, it’s true that it’s not easy to find good IT security training materials and instructors. And it’s also not easy getting your employees to learn – what with some people preferring microlearning, while others preferring long-form learning.
Now, you and your non-IT staff can continually educate yourselves and stay up-to-date with the latest threats and threat prevention tools and procedures.
Where can you find all this information?
Right here at Enterprise Training Solutions.
Cybersecurity Tips On-Demand
With videos, ebooks, and courses on topics ranging from phishing to malware to ransomware, we give you access to all the knowledge you need to improve your current security posture and prepare for any future threats.
Experience the proven, easy-to-use, and cost-effective benefits of online training by scheduling your free online training consultation today!
