National Preparedness Month: 3 Ways Your Organization Can Prepare for IT & Cybersecurity Threats

September is National Preparedness Month, so when it comes to IT and cybersecurity, that means being ready to face potential threats. With businesses of all sizes being the target of data breaches and cyber-attacks, it’s no longer just a best practice to have comprehensive cybersecurity measures in place – it’s a requirement for the continued operation of your business.  

Since the security of your business is no longer a guarantee, it’s best to take precautions to feel prepared against the threats of today. To help give you some peace of mind, SUCCESS has outlined three ways you can feel more prepared to face the IT and cybersecurity threats that might target your business.

1. Understand the Current Threat Landscape

Cybersecurity threats are continuously evolving, which can make it difficult to know what to watch out for. However, having at least a basic understanding of the most likely ways cyber criminals may attempt to access your sensitive data or assets is the first step you can take to be better prepared. Consider the following list of the most common cybersecurity risks your organization could face and the policies and procedures you might implement to mitigate them.  

Common Cybersecurity Threats 

• Phishing Attacks: Deceptive emails or website links that impersonate a legitimate source to prompt people to voluntarily hand over sensitive information, such as passwords and credit card numbers. Additionally, malicious actors may also leverage evolved phishing attempts such as smishing (targeted text messages), vishing (spoofed phone calls), and quishing (phony QR codes) 

Read also: Cybersecurity Awareness: What’s the Difference Between Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing? – SUCCESS Computer Consulting 

• Malware: Any software designed with the purpose of causing harm to your organization’s computers, servers, or network. Malware comes in many forms, including, but not limited to, ransomware, spyware, and viruses. 

• • Ransomware: Malware that encrypts your data and blocks access to your computer until a requested sum of money is paid.

Read also: Ransomware Strikes: Protecting Your Organization from Cyber Extortion – SUCCESS Computer Consulting 

• • Spyware: Software that monitors a users’ online activities, often without their knowledge, in order to gain access to sensitive information.  
  • Viruses: Malicious code found in legitimate files or programs that spreads from computer to computer, causing harm in the process.  
  • Data breaches: Unauthorized access to confidential data, which can lead to the potential loss of sensitive information. 
  • Insider Threats: Security risks from inside your organization that often arise as a result of negligence or malicious intent. 

2. Facilitate Team Training and Awareness on Potential Threats

People make mistakes, and that’s okay. However, by keeping your team informed and by providing training on the best ways to respond to some of the most common attack attempts, they’ll be better prepared to serve as the first line of defense against potential threats. And at the very least, your team can take the following steps to prevent a data breach or information leak:  

• Verify links and attachments
• Check website addresses 
• Avoid sending sensitive information over text or email 
• Take precautions when using social media  
• Change passphrases frequently, ensuring they’re strong and complex 

If you’re not sure how to go about educating your team on topics relating to cybersecurity, SUCCESS provides security awareness trainings designed to further your users’ understanding of how to recognize and protect against common threats.

3. Develop a Comprehensive Business Continuity & Disaster Recovery (BCDR) Plan

While knowing what threats are most common and training your team on what to looks out for is one way to be prepared, having a business continuity and disaster recovery (BCDR) plan in place is the best way to ensure your normal operations can resume with as little disruption as possible in the event of a major IT or cybersecurity incident. The three key components of a good BCDR plan include:  

• Technology Recovery Plan: A set of steps designed to ensure the continuation of technology services in the event of an incident. This plan also prepares your team to successfully manage potential technology interruptions or IT disaster situations while also considering the sensitivity and importance of data and information.  
• Incident Response Plan: A pre-determined strategy your organization follows to assist with the discovery, containment, and resolution of any security incident that may occur. This plan also helps to minimize the loss of theft or information, as well as disruption caused by incidents 
• Tabletop Exercises: Simulated technology and security incidents conducted to ensure the Technology Recovery Plan and Incident Response Plan you have developed are comprehensive and effective. Running scenarios via tabletop exercises stress-tests your plans in a simulated environment to help identify gaps in your plans, as well as areas where you need to improve.