Investing in cybersecurity is becoming increasingly more important for businesses in the UK, with one business being impacted by a cyber attack every 19 seconds. Not only has the frequency of cyber threats increased manifolds over the past decade, but the cyber threat landscape itself has also become more complex than ever. No wonder why over two-thirds of UK organizations claim to have increased their cybersecurity budgets over the past couple of years!
To help keep UK businesses safe and secure against cyber threats we at Amazing Support have come up with a foolproof cybersecurity strategy checklist that you too can utilize for your organization’s best interests, right away!
Why Regular Cyber Security Assessments Are Critical For Your Business
The average cost of a cyberattack to a UK business has increased by around 71 percent from 2017 to 2019, and this figure is expected to grow further this year. Hackers are finding new loopholes and software vulnerabilities every day, which is one of the top reasons why you need a regular assessment of your company’s cybersecurity strategy.
Here are some important questions you need to ask yourself (and your IT team) to assess your organization’s cybersecurity strategy in 2020 and beyond:
- Do you have robust firewalls, web gateway security, mobile device security, and advanced endpoint security in place to safeguard your business from a cyber attack?
- Has your IT team invested in setting up a SIEM (Security Incident and Event Management) / Log Management System for proactive monitoring of cyber threats?
- Have you ensured that all the software used for your business operations are being regularly upgraded to their latest versions?
- Do you know if your business is already being targeted for a cyber attack?
Your Business is Only as Safe as Your Least Informed Employee
Did you know 88 percent of data breaches in the UK are caused by human error?. This is why it’s highly critical to ensure your staff members clearly understand how cybercriminals could trick them into revealing sensitive, private information. They should be trained by cybersecurity professionals to identify activities like a suspicious phone call or a phishing attempt within no time.
Importance of Performing Regular Data Backups and Enabling Data Encryption
Data backups and data encryption are two key ingredients of an effective cybersecurity strategy. So make sure you first encrypt and then back up your organization’s sensitive business data. This will render the data useless if it happens to fall in the wrong hands.
Being Prepared for the Worst With a Disaster Recovery Plan
It’s estimated that more than half of business leaders don't even know what actions they would need to take in case their company actually became the target of a cyber attack! When it comes to surviving a cyber attack, it always boils down to how prepared a business is for such an unfortunate event. This is why having a well-planned and highly effective Disaster Recovery Plan is no longer an option for businesses in 2020 and beyond, but rather a necessity!
