The amount of information stored online rises with each passing second. Within these quantities of data are keys to unlock personal identities, exploit financial details and blackmail high profile corporations. Each time an individual discloses sensitive information to an enterprise, they could be putting themselves at extreme risk.
With numerous applications now functioning within the cloud, how do we ensure the safety of employees, customers and partners?
Cyber Criminals Are Everywhere
Cyber crime comes in many forms. Some threats are simply innocuous pranksters looking to ‘go viral’ for preying on the vulnerabilities of big name businesses. Some are seemingly well-organized hacktivist collectives out to deface websites in order to promote certain political statements. These high-tech troublemakers are notorious for one thing: draining the budgets of unsuspecting
businesses.
Not all cyber criminals are out purely for the glory. Many of us are familiar with the thieving of personal information that occurs incessantly over the internet. This is a very serious threat that can put the reputation of any business in peril.
Every organization is in danger. The size of your enterprise does not escalate or absolve your risk factor. Giants such as Equifax and Verizon have recently fallen victim to major breaches. However small businesses account for nearly half of all reported breaches. It is absolutely critical that organizations take charge and learn how to bolster their security before it’s too late.
Ways to stay Ahead of Cyber Threats
1. Understanding Your Risk Level
No business is immune to attack, yet certain industries appear more desirable to hackers than others. Networks that amass personal health data or financial information are typically high-value targets. Hospitals, healthcare clinics, dental offices, banks, credit unions and mortgage firms are just some examples of valuable and vulnerable victims.
The possibility of a breach increases as your volume of data surges. If you are processing large amounts of important information, you must prioritize a Disaster
Recovery Plan.
2. Disaster Recovery (DR) Planning:
Disaster Recovery entails the careful creation of precautionary instructions to follow in the instance of a data breach. CIOs must ensure that a strong DR plan is in place to preserve their operations.
This area of continuity planning focuses on the components that require regular back ups. It essentially identifies the most imperative pieces of data that your business possesses and then strategizes how to save them if disaster strikes. Such components could include: servers, storage devices, applications and network appliances.
Asking critical questions can help you produce a plan that is tailored specifically to your enterprise. Define your tolerance for downtime. Consider the financial and the reputational repercussions of a prolonged outage. Define your tolerance for data loss. Again, keep in mind how much a loss could strain your budget and strain your employees/customers.
After the plan is finalized, your business should test it frequently. Like a fire drill, repeated tests can lead to faster recovery times and more positive outcomes.
3. Active Network Monitoring
Active Network Monitoring provides real-time testing of network availability. It can be a valuable tool to help spot issues and swiftly address them. Monitoring allows you to familiarize yourself with average flows of traffic so you can easily detect when something is amiss.
Day-to-day network monitoring is exceptionally effective, and it is a lot of work! Many companies opt to outsource this process to a trusted cloud service provider. Providers like Server Cloud Canada can remedy abnormalities before they become a problem, and before a client even detects that something is off.
4. Educate Your Employees
Cyber security is a team effort. Each individual employee is responsible for obtaining a safe environment. The leading causes of data breaches are simple, inadvertent errors. No business can be completely infallible, but there are many ways to prevent mishaps.
Consistent training helps to strengthen staff knowledge and know-how. Education isn’t just for newly hired staff. The greatest defense against a catastrophic breach is continual learning sessions, frequent communication about security issues and regular opportunities for employees to ask questions about best practices. A confident team will take cyber security seriously.
5. Use a Trusted Hosting Provider Who Focuses On Security
Our comprehensive list of steps is the ultimate game plan for safeguarding your business. Working with a trusted hosting provider can ensure that these steps are successfully achieved while reducing the headache of managing everything yourself.
Providers like Server Cloud Canada are dedicated to keeping your data safe and your organization running efficiently. Partnering with a trusted provider fuels your business with state-of-the-art analytical tools and powerful detection and investigation tools. It provides the assurance that you are protected from the growing list of disruptive cyber threats. A knowledgeable team will be there to guide you through the construction and maintenance of your Disaster Recovery Plan and address your concerns.
Cyber crime can be very damaging to your business. The risks range from annoying outages to destructive and dangerous attacks. Each incident is a waste of time, money and energy. Don’t let your business collapse over an avoidable offense! Take charge, evaluate your options and contact a trusted provider to help further your success.
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