The era of DIY IT solutions is long behind us. As cybercrime evolves, it remains a critical concern for healthcare providers, government entities at all levels, professional services, and trade industries alike. Staying ahead of these threats is more important than ever. To help safeguard your business and outpace cybercriminals, we’ve compiled a top 10 checklist of proactive measures. This guide will walk you through essential steps to fortify your online presence and protect your business in 2025.

1. Implement Strong Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Cybercriminals increasingly target online credentials. MFA adds an extra layer of security, requiring multiple forms of verification.

Enforcing MFA across all business accounts, particularly for access to critical systems, financial data, and email is just one of many steps you can take to better protect your valuable business and customer data.

Not sure how to get started? Give us a call! Our outsourced managed-IT services can help your business stay on top of their cybersecurity and IT needs. From firewalls to disaster recovery plans and everything in between, Ontech Systems, Inc. is your all-in-one cybersecurity expert that gives you the peace of mind you need in today’s cyber landscape.

2. Regularly Update Software and Patches

Unpatched software is a prime target for cyber attackers, who exploit vulnerabilities in outdated systems. Without a dedicated cybersecurity or IT team monitoring your software and applying patches, it’s easy for these critical updates to be overlooked. While enabling automatic updates for your operating system, antivirus, and third-party applications is a vital first step, it’s not a complete solution. To ensure long-term security, it’s essential to have your system thoroughly reviewed and tested by an experienced IT and cybersecurity firm.

Take the first step toward securing your business by booking a free Network Discovery call with us. We’ll help identify any vulnerabilities in your IT infrastructure and recommend solutions to fortify your network.

3. Employee Cybersecurity Training

Unfortunately, employees are often the weakest link in cybersecurity, with human error playing a significant role in common phishing and social engineering attacks. In fact, approximately 74% of breaches involve human error, whether it’s falling for a fake email or mishandling sensitive information.

So, what can you do? We recommend investing in regular cybersecurity training for your team. These sessions will help employees better recognize phishing attempts, adopt strong password practices, and securely manage sensitive information, significantly enhancing your organization’s overall cybersecurity resilience.

Talk to our team today to schedule an IT and cybersecurity training session for your business.

4. Use Advanced Endpoint Protection

Cyberattacks frequently originate from endpoints such as laptops, desktops, and mobile devices. If your business relies on numerous endpoint devices, deploying Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) tools is essential. These tools continuously monitor and protect against suspicious activity across all devices, ensuring a robust defense against potential threats.

5. Secure Your Network on the Cloud

If your business hasn’t transitioned to the cloud yet, now is the time to make the switch. Moving to the cloud can significantly reduce hosting and hardware costs, while also boosting productivity, enhancing file access control, and minimizing security risks. The benefits extend far beyond cost savings, offering improved flexibility, scalability, and overall efficiency for your operations.

Not sure how to make the switch? We’ve got you covered! Start with a free Network Discovery call today.

6. Backup Critical Data Regularly

In the event of a ransomware attack or data breach, having secure backups ensures business continuity. This is another benefit of the cloud that was mentioned previously. Implementing automated backups for all critical data, and ensuring backups are stored offline or in secure cloud storage, preferably with end-to-end encryption is a sound approach to securing your valuable business data.

7. Encrypt Sensitive Data

Data breaches expose sensitive information, leading to financial losses and reputational damage. Be sure to encrypt all sensitive data in storage and during transmission, particularly for financial, customer, and employee records. This information is most coveted by hackers and can severely impact your business if compromised.

8. Create a Comprehensive Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) for Business Continuity

A well-prepared response can minimize the impact of a cyberattack. Develop and test a Disaster Recovery Plan to ensure your team knows what steps to take in the event of a breach.

Here’s how to lay out a full, comprehensive Business Continuity Plan that includes things like DRP, containment, communication, recovery, and reporting.

9. Implement Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)

Limiting access to sensitive data based on job roles reduces the risk of internal threats and misuse. Use RBAC to restrict employee access to only the data and systems necessary for their specific duties.

10. Stay Informed on Emerging Threats

Cyber threats evolve rapidly. Staying updated on the latest trends allows you to anticipate and defend against new attack methods. Subscribe to cybersecurity newsletters (like ours!), join threat intelligence sharing groups, and regularly consult cybersecurity blogs and reports to stay ahead.

Next Steps: Make it Happen with a Trusted Outsourced IT Partner

By combining technology, employee training, and a proactive approach, your business will be better equipped to defend against cyberattacks in 2025. A helpful tool to use alongside this checklist in the Cyber Defense Matrix, a framework created by Sounil Yu to help you expertly navigate the cybersecurity landscape.

Now that you have all the tools, it’s time to take action. But you don’t have to do it alone. Ontech Systems, Inc. has been Eastern Wisconsin’s go-to cybersecurity and outsourced IT firm for more than 20 years. In that time, we’ve retained 98% of our clients and were voted one of Milwaukee Business Journal’s Best Places to Work of 2024 in the Small Business Category.

Book a free Network Discovery call with our expert team to pinpoint the strengths, weaknesses, and opportunities of your business network and start implementing a robust and effective cybersecurity plan for 2025 and beyond. Book your free call here.