Tips for developing a successful cybersecurity plan in 2019

January 22nd, 2019
Tips for developing a successful cybersecurity plan in 2019

2018 saw over 600 data breaches and 22 million exposed records, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. You might be surprised by how many of those breaches could have affected you. This is why you must take your business’s cybersecurity to the next level and follow these six tips to develop a more efficient cybersecurity plan in 2019.

#1 Start with understanding your risks

Cybersecurity tools are used to reduce or eliminate risks and to identify cyberthreats early so you can continue with your work while keeping your IT systems safe and sound. To do this, you must identify and categorize the risks specific to your business and industry.

#2 Plan for and monitor the attacks

Several CEOs made cybersecurity predictions for 2019, and while many of them involve possible solutions to existing cybersecurity problems, some give fair warnings against possible threats, including AI-driven chatbots going rogue.

To avoid these threats, you need to tackle the problem, plan ahead, create a security roadmap, and regularly discuss your cybersecurity strategy with your organization’s key decision-makers. Planning your cyberattack defenses can save you a lot of time and money, especially if these are executed well.

#3 Consider cyberattacks as high business risks

Businesses mostly view cyberthreats as a minor technical problem that causes only temporary technical harm. But failing to see the holistic impact of cyberattacks on your business’s reputation and revenue could seriously hurt your business’s survival.

Leaders and employees are usually more driven to solve problems when they know that the company’s revenues and staff salaries will be severely impacted. The next time you discuss cybersecurity, make sure to include the big-picture aspects of it. Your team will understand the concept better, and they will feel more involved in contributing to your efforts to fend off cyberattacks.

#4 Get everyone involved

Hackers can gain access to your business in many ways. They can penetrate your infrastructure by successfully tricking employees with social engineering schemes such as phishing scams, physical access, hacking, and access through vulnerable third parties.

This is why your business must involve everyone in cybersecurity measures. You must train employees to identify and handle phishing attempts to avoid ransomware attacks. You also need to hold your extended enterprise to the same risk standards as your own organization.

#5 Encrypt data backups

If you want to protect your data, regular backups help but won’t suffice. If hackers happen to gain physical access to one of your computers or if an employee commits an error, your data can still get lost, corrupted, or abused. The likelihood of any of these happening is reduced when you encrypt your data backups.

You must also configure your systems to create shadow copies — backups of your files that get updated in real time — once or twice a day to ensure your data’s recency and usability.

#6 Partner with an MSP

MSPs might not be the be-all and end-all cybersecurity solution, but they will do 90% of the job for you. They work around the clock to protect your data and update your applications and software. They also test your systems regularly, audit your regulatory compliance, and proactively monitor and manage your business’s IT.

Most importantly, with their state-of-the-art security tools, your MSP can protect your private data, ensure that your files are backed up, and recover data in case of a disaster.

If your San Clemente, Laguna Niguel, or Oceanside business needs a robust cybersecurity plan for 2019, contact OC-IT and benefit from our 24/7 network monitoring, antivirus protection, malware detection and removal, and many more! With OC-IT, you can focus on doing your business’s mission without worrying about cybersecurity issues.

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