SpartanTec, Inc. Fayetteville: Cybersecurity Goes Beyond A Firewall

Many people believe that installing anti-virus software and a firewall on servers and personal computers is enough to protect their business from ransomware and data breaches. These IT solutions are just one part of a multilayered security strategy. Along with technological advances, human factors must be considered.

As technology advances at an alarming rate, cyberattackers find it harder to circumvent them. This is why they choose to attack the human element. This has resulted in phishing emails, phone calls, and impersonations, all designed to steal the technology from the firewall and other security hardware.

Numerous government offices have been in the news lately. Ransomware encrypted all files on the network of municipalities, forcing them to close down. In some cases, ransomware encrypts the files on the network and forces victims to pay it. An employee opened infected emails and was the first victim. These messages can often be mistaken for legitimate UPS or FedEx shipping emails or notifications.

Cybersecurity and Firewalls

Attenuating the Human Factor

Awareness and education. Regularly remind and educate your employees about fake email. You might consider hiring a company that specializes in training employees about safe cybersecurity practices.

Your employees should be able to identify common malware and phishing methods that disguise malware as an everyday task. UPS and FedEx will not send confirmations unless the package is being shipped. It’s better to delete any messages if your company has not shipped anything recently, or isn’t expecting any delivery.

Inform your employees about the IT support teams and how they can be reached. This will prevent impersonation. Cybercriminals are good at doing their research and will attempt to find out which IT support company or staff they can trust. These imposters are a danger to your employees and you should inform them who the legitimate IT support team is.

Look at the links in your emails to make sure they get to their intended destination. Microsoft 365 users may see an email regarding quarantine. Attached links should be sent to onmicrosoft.com or office.com. They will not direct you to an unidentified, random or unusual link.

Validating requests is also a good idea. Ask the sender to confirm that they sent the message.

Technology Factors

Many companies have an anti-virus and managed firewall in place as part of the strategy for cybersecurity. These should be regularly updated and properly managed. It is important to update servers and workstations regularly. However, you must be aware of how to recover data in the event of a data breach.

Make sure you test backups regularly if you have them. If it cannot restore your files, it is not considered a backup. Encrypted backups are also recommended. It is best to have backups every week, month, and annually on a cold medium such as a cloud.