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As Clive Humby said, data is the new oil. It is such a valuable commodity that cybercriminals will stop at nothing to get their hands on it. And when they succeed, they use it for blackmail and sell it to other criminals on the dark web. As if that weren’t worrying enough, the tools they use to try to obtain it can also wreak havoc. They infect entire systems with malware and ransomware, bringing systems completely offline, and use sophisticated techniques to steal login credentials or gain access through brute-force attacks. Today, every company has a duty to keep its data secure. Here are a few ways to strengthen your own security.
Use technology and expertise to prevent phishing
Phishing attacks, which are usually sent via email, are one of the main ways in which cybercriminals attempt to steal login details or infect systems with malware. Ensuring you have a reliable spam filter in place, such as SpamExperts or Proxmox Mail Gateway, will help filter out the vast majority of emails containing phishing attempts and malware.
Statistics show that around a third of emails that reach their recipients are opened and clicked on. This is often because cybercriminals go to great lengths to make these emails appear genuine. The key to reducing such incidents is to train staff to recognise the tell-tale signs of phishing emails: poor English, the absence of the recipient’s name, the email address not matching the sender’s name, suspicious-looking logos, etc. Employees also need to know how to handle these emails: they should not open them or their attachments, nor should they click on any links; they should know how to report them and how to delete them safely.
Two-factor authentication
Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security to the login process; it usually requires users to enter a six- or seven-digit security code sent to their mobile phone. The advantage of implementing 2FA is that even if a cybercriminal manages to obtain the username and password, they can only access the additional code if they also have the employee’s mobile phone in their possession. Furthermore, as the security codes are only valid for a few minutes, criminals do not have enough time to crack them.
Virtual private networks
A virtual private network (VPN) provides a secure environment for employees to carry out their work. It does this by securing the connection to the network and encrypting the data sent over it. This is particularly important for those working via Wi-Fi networks, especially given the significant number of employees now working remotely.
Automated software updates
Vulnerabilities in outdated applications pose one of the greatest threats to data security, and cybercriminals actively target them. Updating applications as soon as a patch is released is essential for minimising the risk of data breaches. Unfortunately, far too many businesses have paid the price for being slow to update their software.
There are numerous options for automating updates. With a managed hosting solution, for example, the provider automates operating system patching, whilst for CMS websites such as WordPress, you can use tools such as Patchman to apply patches. You can also carry out automatic updates using cPanel and Plesk, as well as via the administration panel of certain website platforms.
Another way to keep applications up to date is to use Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions, such as Google Workspace, rather than standalone software installed on your network. In this case, the service provider automatically updates the software for you whenever a new version is released.
Encryption
If your data is encrypted, nobody can access it, even if it is stolen. Encryption renders it useless to any cybercriminal and ensures that your important information and customer data cannot be misused. You can encrypt data in a number of different situations. For example, your hosting provider can encrypt the data stored on its servers; SSL certificates encrypt the data transmitted between your customers’ browsers and your website; and email SSL certificates encrypt emails and attachments whilst verifying the authenticity of your email address to the recipient.
Remote backups
If a cybercriminal deletes, corrupts or encrypts your data using ransomware whilst attempting to steal it, the consequences can be devastating. However, it is not only cybercrime that can lead to data loss; hardware failure, human error and a host of other problems can also be to blame. The solution to ensuring you do not lose your data permanently and that your systems are back up and running quickly is to have an effective backup solution in place.
Although there are many ways to do this, one of the most effective is to use the services offered by a web hosting provider.
Secure hosting
A good web hosting provider helps keep your server and the data stored on it secure using advanced security tools. At aWh, for example, we use high-performance, next-generation firewalls with intrusion detection and prevention tools to prevent hackers and malware from gaining access to your server.