Cybercriminals take advantage of various vulnerabilities in your companies IT systems and fixing them before the worst happens is crucial to protecting your business and your reputation.

Taking your cybersecurity seriously is essential regardless of the size of your organisation. Many companies have overlooked some fairly simple things and have been hit with a cyberattack or worse.

Your business may have similar vulnerabilities. Imagine the loss to your business when you can’t access your documents, accounting information, client data and/or your online store goes down. There is also the loss of trust and credibility in your business from clients, suppliers and staff.

Therefore, you need to check for weaknesses in your solutions regularly and the information below shows 6 things you should look out for.

#1 – Poor Endpoint Protection (aka security or antivirus software)

A lot of businesses either use a cheap antivirus or the free Microsoft Defender security software. While this is better than nothing, older type signature-based security software are no longer efficient since hackers can quickly bypass them as many don’t monitor unexpected or unusual behaviour.

The best way to address these issues is to invest in the latest cutting-edge endpoint defence tools that involve next-generation antivirus, response and behavioural analysis capabilities. They provide a comprehensive evaluation of malicious actions and flexible prevention options.

If you are operating an “old” or “traditional” antivirus platform, consider upgrading it to a version with in-depth behavioural inspections.

 #2 – All Users Having Admin Privileges

Limiting the access privileges of your users is central to controlling vulnerabilities in your network. The less information staff can access, the less harm they can do if they get compromised.

The problem with allowing users to have administrator-level privileges is that when they click on a link they shouldn’t, that malware program also has admin privileges which means they have free reign on that computer and in most cases your entire network.

Therefore, you should grant access only to those team members who can’t carry out their duties without that access.

#3 – Compromised or Weak Passwords

The typical username/password combo is the most widely used access credential to a myriad of devices and accounts. The problem with this is cybercriminals can easily compromise them, exposing your accounts.

Account compromise usually happens when an unsuspecting staff member falls victim to a phishing attack and enters their login information onto a fake website. Once a user’s credentials are compromised credentials, an intruder gains insider access.

To avoid this scenario, you should implement stringent password controls and never reuse the same password on another account.

2FA or MFA is also a must. See our other article on Why Multi-Factor Authentication is Important. In brief with 2FA users must enter their username, password and a code. This code can be obtained via a security app on a users mobile phone or SMS text message. 2FA then stops any cybercriminals accessing accounts if a user’s username/password is revealed as they then wouldn’t be able to obtain the code (unless they also have access to that user’s mobile phone).

Combining a strong password along with never reusing passwords and implementing 2FA/MFA is a very another effective method to prevent compromised user accounts.

#4 – Software and Hardware Updates

Both software and hardware devices receive regular updates. Sometimes it is to add new features but other times it is to patch security holes. Thus you need to keep your software and hardware up to date to prevent hackers from exploiting know security holes.

Software and hardware devices may also be using the default passwords for admin access. Getting these changed should also be a priority.

#5 – No Network Segmentation

This is more applicable to larger companies but others will also benefit from splitting their network into segments. This way if one user gets infected, the possible spread of the infection is limited to that particular network segment.

Depending upon the structure of your business this may be a simple thing to do (ie move each department is on a different segment), otherwise you may need to speak with an IT consultant. If you allow guests to connect to your wireless network then you definitely should move them off your main network.

Plug the Holes Before It Is Too Late!

To ensure your company is not a sitting duck for cyberattackers, you should fix any holes and implement reliable security policies. Yes, some policies may be expensive but there are others (like software updates and MFA) that are low cost and can be implemented quirt quickly.

To figure out the problem with your current setup, contact us for a quick, free no obligation chat.