Happy National Cyber Security Awareness Month! (Who Knew?!) Here are Five Ways to Avoid IT Security Breaches

October is a huge month for awareness … we have National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, National Bullying Prevention Month, and National Cyber Security Awareness Month, established by the Department of Homeland Securityin 2004.

Here are five ways you can help prevent security breaches to your data, systems, or operations:

1. Disable all accounts when an employee leaves your organization

According to IBM, 17% of breaches come from insiders who work or previously worked for an organization. Coincidently, the IBM study finds that 95% of security breaches are a product of human error. Breaches are easier to pull off when you have inside information on an organization/company. Be sure to disable accounts for all former employees, even the ones who leave on good terms.

2. Examine your organization/companies security logs frequently

Reviewing your security logs on a daily basis is crucial. Security logs are typically the first line of defense when it comes to dealing with cybercrime. For example, you want to be alerted when someone has multiple failed log in attempts. This could be a case of an employer who lost their password or an attacker trying to gain access. Either way, your logs are the eyes and ears of what’s happening on your network.

3. Update your software frequently

Outdated software can leave you vulnerable to new types of malware and advanced persistent threats. According to a Microsoft study, 24% of PC’s are unprotected and not updated frequently. Computers that are not updated are 5.5 times more likely to be infected and at risk for security breaches.

4. Scan your computers for vulnerabilities

Scan your networks frequently to determine which systems are vulnerable and take action to remediate problems immediately. Tools like Qualys and Rapid7 can help detect vulnerabilities and recommend patches to fix them.

5. Create a cyber security plan and implement it effectively

According to the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA), 83 percent of small businesses have no formal cyber security plan, while 69 percent lack even an informal one. A security plan is essential so everyone know what to do in a time of crisis. 

Today’s organizations are coming to understand that they must protect not only their financial data from hackers, but also their intellectual property as political and personal motivations escalate. AccelOps monitors network equipment, servers, applications, physical and virtual equipment, users, network flow data and creates a baseline of normal activity for your network. That means that your security, performance, availability, and changes are monitored and understood.

Need help securing your organization? Contact us. We’re here to help.

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