This is the final part in our 4-part Cybersecurity Awareness Month series. You can read the first three articles here:
Part One: Cybersecurity Awareness Month: Do Your Part, #BeCyberSmart
Part Two: The Human Element of Cybersecurity
Part Three: Cybersecurity Awareness: Stay Off the Phishing Hook
Part Four: Cybersecurity Is Everyone’s Responsibility
The blending of work and home environments has made more apparent what has always been true: Cybersecurity is an issue everywhere and it is everyone’s responsibility to take better care of our data. Some of the most egregious ransomware attacks have been the result of a simple failure to act – whether that action was to expire someone’s password, to insist on multi-factor authentication, or to install updates in a timely manner. Some of the recent attacks have even come after business leaders had been warned about compromised passwords, yet they failed to update them.
Take Ownership of Cybersecurity in your Home
With more employees working from home at least part of the time, better data security at home is essential – for employees and for businesses. This can be accomplished in varied ways, taking into consideration differences in organizations, but it may involve providing the necessary equipment for your remote workforce (including access to a VPN), the right security protection for mobile devices, and suitable guidance for setting up routers and VPNs properly to safely access the network.
Take Ownership of Cybersecurity in your Office
Cybersecurity in the office is more than just about implementing managed IT protocols and installing layers of security. It’s about establishing policies. It’s about embracing zero trust. It’s about creating a culture – from the top leaders down – in which infosec is openly discussed and adopted as part of your goals. It should be as easy to talk about as sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and other necessities in today’s business world. Organizations should offer ongoing training and stay up to date on cyber threats.
Take Ownership of Cybersecurity in Public Spaces
There is so much risk that comes from doing something as simple as connecting to a public Wi-Fi network. This enhanced risk is something so simple to remedy, too. You don’t have to tell your employees not to work from the local coffee shop, but you should ensure that they only connect using a secure VPN and multifactor authentication. And it should be standard policy that devices – even personal ones, if used for work – remain locked when not in use.
Cybersecurity Takes Everyone’s Involvement
Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility. We must all think about where and how we’re connecting to secure environments, the strength of the passwords we’re using, and the warning signs of phishing attempts.
thinkCSC is here to help organizations in the Columbus area be more cybersecure. For more information about how we can help you, get in touch.