Stay vigilant to stay a step ahead of cyber criminals

This year, we have seen some of the most high-profile victims of cyber crime across the world, including the NHS in the UK, and the attack of Equifax that impacted millions of people in several countries.

The damage has not only cost companies’ money, it has also hit their reputations hard.

Yet despite the impending threats and, as cyber criminals only become more commonplace and grow in severity and scale, it’s worrying that a significant number of companies feel unprepared to deal with such an attack.

While cyber security can be a large – and sometimes overwhelming – investment in both time and money, it’s the “new normal in what companies need to do to protect themselves” as Stephen Cobb, senior security researcher at ESET, has said.

And training for staff needs to be a big part of this “new normal”.

Cyber security is everyone’s responsibility and organisations need to train staff to ensure they have a more empowered and security-savvy workforce.

Here are our tips for all organisations to consider:

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For the workforce to protect itself against a wide range of threats, it first needs to know the enemy. Information about the most common threats like malware, phishing, ransomware and social engineering, as well as how they operate, could help allow staff to understand the problem and help them be less susceptible.

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Frustration over creating and remembering passwords means many people use the same password for everything.

It’s not just the same password for every account, but using the same password for everyone else as well.

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This is one of the most underestimated threats – a form of

Know your enemy Consider password safety Think before your click

psychological manipulation where cyber criminals trick people into handing over personal and sensitive information, usually through deceptive means.

Here is one of the most common phishing scenarios: you receive an e-mail that appears to be from your bank.

It asks you to check the settings of your account and, via the included link, provide your credentials and further information.

But it’s not your bank that will receive yo ur personal details – it will be the cyber criminals behind this attack.

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Remember that security is everyone’s responsibility

Every piece of awareness needs to be matched to actions for staff, regardless of department or level within your company.

The C-suite, especially, needs to adhere to the rules, as they are often the juiciest target for cyber criminals.

Making colleagues realise not only how their actions can be detrimental for the entire company, but also spelling out how simple steps can keep everyone protected will help build collective security.

While companies need to wake up to threats from hackers, becoming cyber-resilient is a straightforward process.

Realising that remaining secure is everyone’s responsibility means training staff in even the most basic skills should be a top priority.

‘ ‘ Companies need an empowered, security-savvy workforce