10 Most Common Cyber Security Measures For Business

According to PurpleSec, organisations experience 130 security breaches per year on average. A significant rise in hybrid working has made businesses more vulnerable than ever to cybercrime. Cyber Security has played a pivotal role for companies since the internet existed. Since the rise of the internet, businesses have placed a high priority on Cyber Security Essentials. However, as more employees move to hybrid or entirely remote work, the necessity to protect your data and cloud-based systems from unwanted breaches and hacks increases too.   

Organisations must adopt Cyber Security measures and best practices to build resistance at the front lines of this digital battle against cybercrime. To stop cybercrime, the organisation must take necessary measures. Today businesses primarily work based on cloud-based tools and technology. The internet has become essential for the smooth operation of businesses everywhere, whether doing long-distance conferences, promoting, buying and selling, researching, identifying new markets, connecting with clients and suppliers, or even conducting banking transactions.  

Did you know that hackers frequently target small businesses, with 1,767 data breaches publicly recorded in the first six months of 2021? What are the possible measures to stay safe from these cyber-attacks? Continue reading the blog to learn about the best Cyber Security measures that businesses should implement to safeguard themselves against threats of the digital world. 

Table of Contents

1) What are Cyber Security measures? 

2) Why is Cyber Security important? 

3) Let’s discuss the ten most common Cyber Security measures for business 

4) Conclusion 

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What are Cyber Security measures? 

Protecting sensitive personally identifiable information (SPII) and vital systems from cyber-attacks is known as Cyber Security. Data breach costs grew by 2.6% in 2021, from 3.49 million GBP in 2021 to 3.58 million GBP in 2022. The average price rose from GBP 3.17 million in the 2020 report to 12.7%. These fees include the costs of detecting and correcting the breach, downtime and lost revenue, and the long-term reputational harm to a firm and its brand.  

Cyber Security measures are intended to guard against unauthorised access to and theft of electronic data and systems. To safeguard oneself and one's business, a variety of Cyber Security measures can be used. However, organisations with a comprehensive Cybersecurity strategy, implemented by best practices using advanced analytics, artificial intelligence (AI), and machine learning (ML), can combat cyber threats more successfully and lessen the impact of breaches when they occur. 
 

Why is Cyber Security important?

Cybersecurity is critical because digital assets are vulnerable. 75% of individuals nowadays are exposed to cyberattacks because they rely so heavily on online transactions, from ordering groceries and other things to accessing bank accounts and using credit cards for various purposes.  

In the cyber world, large corporations with large volumes of valuable data are not the only targets; security breaches happen to small and medium-sized businesses and ordinary people. Everyone should be concerned about Cyber Security since anyone can become a victim.  

Let’s discuss the ten most common Cyber Security measures for business 

Here are the ten most common Cyber Security measures businesses can use. 

1) Always create new, strong passwords 

The passwords used to secure the data and systems should be powerful enough to prevent hacking or guessing by online criminals. Many steps can be taken to increase the security of passwords. Use a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols in your passwords as one precautionary step. Make sure your passwords are difficult to guess for others as an additional security step. You can also avoid using the same password for several different accounts and change your passwords frequently. 

Using a password manager, which can create and store strong passwords for you, is another approach to ensuring your passwords are secure. You may also set two-factor authentication on top of that for more security. This implies that to access your account, you will also need to provide different information besides your password. This could be an additional security question or a code texted to your phone. A proper password policy is essential for internet security. Make it tough to guess your password by: 

a) Using both upper- and lower-case characters, numerals, and symbols 

b) Keeping it between eight and twelve characters long  

c) Not utilising personal information  

d) Frequently changing it 

e) Never use it for multiple accounts 

f) Use of two-factor authentication 

2) Update your programs frequently 

Using an automatic update software, like Microsoft Update, that will install new updates for you is the best method to keep your software up to date. Additionally, you can manually check for updates by going to the software maker's website or using a third-party update tool.  

You should take precautions to safeguard your computer from malware and keep your software up to date. This can be achieved by using a firewall and a good antivirus, keeping it updated, and avoiding dangerous websites. Finally, periodically back up your data to prevent data loss in case of a virus attack or other disaster. 

3) Install trusted antivirus software 

Malicious software is called "malware," and viruses are a particular category of malware that spreads across computers until the entire system is infected. Spyware is a different kind of malware that is made to remain undetected while gathering information about the company it has taken a liking to. You must, of course, be shielded against all of these virtual kinds of cyber-attacks.  

An essential component of any Cyber Security system is a practical, dependable antivirus program. Additionally, anti-malware software is crucial. If malicious attacks do manage to breach your security network, they serve as the last line of defence.  

They function by identifying and getting rid of spyware, adware, and viruses. Additionally, they browse and filter out emails and downloads that could be hazardous. You must keep this software updated to avoid the most recent scams and fix any issues. 

4) Control system and data access 

Ensure that people can only access data and services for which they have been given permission. You can, for instance: 

a) Restrict physical access to buildings, computers, and networks 

b) Deny access to unauthorised people  

c) Utilise application controls to restrict access to data or services 

d) Restrict the content that can be saved to storage devices and copied from the system. 

e) Restrict the sending and receiving of specific email attachment types 

Establish a password policy for your company to encourage employees to stick to best Cyber Security practices. Look at other technological solutions, such as scheduled password resets, to enforce your password policy. Read the National Cyber Security Centre's (NCSC) guide on using passwords to protect your data for comprehensive password advice, and take into account various password schemes that could improve your company's security. 
 

5) Protect with a Firewall 

Between your PC and the internet, firewalls serve as effective gatekeepers. They serve as a barrier to stop the spread of malware and other cyber threats. Firewall devices must be configured correctly, and you should check on them frequently to ensure the software and firmware are current; otherwise, they may need to be fixed.  

Installing a firewall helps to secure network traffic for small businesses, both incoming and outgoing. It can prevent hackers from entering your network. Additionally, it can be configured to stop the distribution of sensitive emails and private data from your company's network. 

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6) Use Multi-Factor or Two-Factor Authentication 

To validate a user's identity for login, a system may require a user to present a combination of two or more credentials, known as multi-factor authentication (MFA). MFA improves security because even if one credential is stolen, unauthorised users won't be able to meet the second verification requirement and won't be able to access the required physical location, computing device, network, or database. 

7) Never respond to fraudulent emails 

The safest security measures are sometimes straightforward. Try to make it a habit never to open or respond to unusual emails, even if the sender appears to be well-known. Avoid downloading attachments or clicking on suspicious sites if you read the email. A "phishing" scam, when a bogus message is delivered to mislead the victim into willingly providing their login information to the hacker, may result from doing so, making you a victim of online financial and identity theft.  

Emails that pretend to be from reliable senders, including banks or people you may have done business with, are known as phishing emails. The hacker uses it to try and get access to your personal information, including bank account information and credit card numbers.  

Make sure to change your email password every 60 to 90 days for extra security. Also, avoid using the same password across multiple email accounts; never write down your password. 

8) Limiting access to vital information

Ensure that only a small number of trustworthy employees, such as the company's CEO and CIO, have access to sensitive information. This will lessen the effects of a data breach, should one happen, and further lowers the likelihood that dishonest individuals within your firm may have illegal access to data.  

Create a clear plan, convey it to your entire team, so everyone is on the same page, and specify who has access to critical information for improved responsiveness. 

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9) Check for intrusion

Fraud detectors can be used to monitor networks and suspicious network behaviour. Based on the sort of behaviour it has detected, a detection system that detects a potential security breach may generate an alarm, such as an email alert.  

A monitoring system called an intrusion detection system (IDS) looks for unusual activity and sends out alarms when it does. A Security Operations Centre (SOC) analyst or incident responder can analyse the problem and take the necessary steps to remove the threat based on these notifications. An Intrusion Detection System can be used in different environments. An IDS can be either be Network-Based or Hot-Based. 

NIDS (Network-Based IDS)- A network-based IDS solution checks a secured network as a whole. It can see all traffic streams moving over the network and bases decisions on the metadata and contents of packets. These systems have limited access to the internal operations of the devices they can protect. Still, this larger perspective provides greater context and the capacity to detect common risks and attacks. 

HIDS (Host-Based IDS)- To defend against threats and attacks from both internal and external sources, a host-based IDS is installed on a specific endpoint. Such an IDS tracks network activity to and from the machine, conducts active flag processes, and looks into system logs. Although a host-based IDS provides thorough visibility into the inner operations of the computer system, its visibility is restricted to the host operating system, decreasing the context for available decision-making.

10) Inform people

Cybersecurity awareness involves enabling employees to play their part in defending the company against potential security attacks. Organisations should ensure that their staff members and suppliers are aware of online hazards by promoting a culture of Cyber Security awareness.

Conclusion

This blog has provided a thorough understanding of the top ten Cyber Security measures required to prevent risks and protect online data. Cyberattacks threaten almost all businesses, regardless of size or mode of operation. Companies can improve the security of their devices and data by following simple guidelines.

Sign up for Cyber Security Training courses now to learn more about how to ensure Cyber Security practices in your business.