Cybersecurity Awareness Month is Coming

Since 2004, the President of the United States and Congress have declared October Cybersecurity Awareness Month to help citizens guard against online threats and protect confidential data. As we head into the fourth quarter, this is a great time to educate staff and key decision makers on the importance of cybersecurity.

The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has chosen this year’s campaign theme to be “See Yourself in Cyber”.

For many people, cybersecurity seems highly complex – even overwhelming. The message CISA strives to drive home is that ultimately, it’s really about people. Education is one of the best defenses against security threats because people are also the greatest vulnerability due to human error.

CISA outlines key action steps everyone should take:

• Enable multi-factor authentication

  Multi-factor authentication is an extra layer of security beyond single-factor authentication. Think of single-factor as a username and password. Multi-factor takes this a step further requiring a one-time code sent to another device.

  Unfortunately, we live in an age of rampant security breaches where multi-factor authentication is a good step, but not good enough. Microsoft is paving the way by requiring that every app, program, or service connected to Microsoft 365 authenticates itself through modern authentication.

• Using strong passwords
  

  Most people understand strong passwords are critical to protecting sensitive data, but the frustration of juggling passwords leads many to recycle a handful of credentials. Although the passwords themselves may be secure, all it takes is one data breach – and your password is out on the dark web.

• Recognizing and reporting phishing emails

  One of the primary reasons ransomware on the rise is due to phishing attacks. These emails come in the form of shipping notifications, communication from an accountant – or even a coworker in the event of a business email compromise.

  Security awareness training is one of the best ways to educate users on red flags to watch out for that might indicate a phishing email.

• Updating software

  Updating software (and hardware) is a great way to guard against security threats. In addition, there are several simple, budget friendly cyber security tips businesses can implement to strengthen a network.

Best of Cybersecurity Roundup 2022

The topic of cybersecurity is vast, but thankfully, there are a significant number of helpful resources available to educate users on various ways to guard against threats – many of them free such as this tool that immediately tells you how secure a password is.

Ontech has compiled several of our top guides from the blog to cover basics and important aspects of cybersecurity you need to know.

Surprising data backup statistics – 2022 edition

Did you know the average cost of downtime per incident increased 200% year over year? The statistics are staggering and serve as a startling reminder to assess your network and budget carefully for a comprehensive cybersecurity solution.

Cyber security insurance myths

Cyber security insurance can be a smart move for businesses who need protection in the event of an attack. Despite what you might think, with this type of insurance, your insurance only goes up if and when a claim is actually paid, not when it is filed. For this reason, in the event of a breach, it’s good practice to begin the claim filing process to take advantage of the guidance that comes along with it.

What is ransomware as a service?

Ransomware is a big business for bad actors. Believe it or not, plug-and-play cybercrime is now a thing thanks to ready-made software created by ransomware developers.

An inside look at phishing attacks

What is a phishing attack exactly and who is behind it? Discover the motivation behind these attacks and what bad actors are truly after.

Why is disaster recovery simulation important?

You might have a data backup in place – but when is the last time you tested it? Disaster recovery simulation is a great way to determine if your plan is effective. It’s really the only way to know if your plan will work – or fail.

When is penetration testing necessary?

This type of testing is one of the best ways to find weaknesses in your network so you can take proactive steps to secure them – before an attack takes place.

No matter where you are in your cybersecurity journey, contact Ontech at 262-522-8560 for guidance on all aspects of cybersecurity. From data backup to email security, our dedicated team of technicians can help you stay up to date as technology evolves so you can get the most from your investment.