Cyber-attacks have only gotten more common with time, even as cybersecurity protocols and firewalls have evolved with those threats. Modern businesses with any sort of online presence must anticipate and respond to cyberattacks, as well as do everything they can to prevent them in the first place.
Fortunately, cybersecurity defenses have become stronger, just like malware and cybercriminal attack methods. Let’s break down how your company can improve its cyber attack prevention using a few smart strategies.
Have a Business-Class Firewall
First, your company should have a strong, regularly updated, business-class firewall at the bare minimum. A firewall protects your company’s servers and data from malicious attacks, such as those from computer viruses.
A firewall is both your first and last line of defense as it prevents most standard malware attacks and also prevents more viruses from entering a potential breach once a threat is detected. The right firewall can do wonders for your digital security through and through.
How Your Company Can Improve Cyber Attack Prevention: Spam Filters for Email Protection
Next, make sure your company uses spam filters for email protection purposes. Email is one of the most common cybersecurity attack vectors – for example, an employee may receive a suspicious phishing email, then click on a link contained within. Clicking on the link opens up a virus that quickly spreads through your business’s computer network.
Spam filters can prevent disaster scenarios like this by automatically filtering out suspicious emails and other forms of correspondence. When used in conjunction with digital security training seminars (more on those below), email spam filters can significantly improve your long-term cybersecurity.
Web Content Filters
Similarly, your business should leverage regularly updated web content filters. General Internet use, such as video watching, surfing, and downloading can lead to viruses entering your enterprise’s computer network more easily than you anticipate.
Web content filters, such as certain pop-up blockers or monitoring software that prevents employees from cyber-slacking and visiting suspicious websites, can also prevent malware from entering your organization remotely in these ways and more.
Plus, many web content filters work in conjunction with strong firewalls. Combined, such measures have the potential to almost completely insulate your company from malware attacks, plus prevent your employees from making small mistakes that can snowball into massive digital disasters.
How Your Company Can Improve Cyber Attack Prevention: Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication (also called two-factor authentication) is a modern approach to cybersecurity vulnerabilities. In a nutshell, it involves requiring employees and administrators to provide more than one form of ID when accessing important data or servers.
For example, you might use multifactor authentication by requiring an employee to provide both their employee ID number and respond to a text message to their recorded cellular device before logging into company data centers.
This little bit of extra effort can go a long way toward preventing easy access to core company files or networks.
Employee Security Awareness Training
Last but not least, make sure your employees are up-to-date with modern, smart cyber hygiene practices. For example, employees should never leave their ID badges or personal information around. They also shouldn’t log into company servers using unsecured networks, such as Wi-Fi networks at coffee shops.
If your employees are not aware of these practices, security awareness training seminars or classes can help bring them up to speed and refresh them on important information from time to time. Over time, this will improve your company’s security culture significantly.
If you don’t know where to start, managed IT services providers like The Purple Guys can assist. We offer robust IT consulting services, as well as cybersecurity and email spam protection services depending on your needs. Contact us today for more information!