How to create your own cyber-secure space

Just as we take care of our health with knowledge and techniques we learn as kids, the Center of Internet Security (CIS) and the National Cybersecurity Council offer tips to protect and maintain IT systems and devices correctly, as well as to implement the best cybersecurity practices.

These are based on three principles: the use of products and tools adapted to the needs, the correct execution of tasks, and the establishment of a routine. At a time when cybersecurity is more and more relevant, it’s important to take the following tips into account:

Cybersecurity risks for companies

Companies usually have many elements that require to implement cybersecurity measures: from each and every hardware piece such as computers, phones, printers and other elements connected to the Internet, to online programs and apps. Each system has specific vulnerabilities that could result in different kind of problems. The most common ones are:

• Information loss. Whether it’s on hard drives or on cloud, files that don’t have a backup are vulnerable to be hacked or corrupted

• Security failure. Threats are constant and immediate for the information owned by companies. The environment, in constant evolution, is composed by phishing, hackers, malware, spam, viruses and hundreds of other threats.

• Old software. Apps and programs must be updated regularly to make sure the system has the latest security patches on. Of course, the most important is the antivirus or the software dedicated to security. However, precaution must be extended to all the apps and programs installed on the device.

Habits to keep information secure

To safeguard the companies’ information, there are many measures we could implement that include, but are not limited to:

• Change your passwords frequently. Use robust passwords that are changed regularly, and that are different for each account you use—it’s the first step to avoid malicious activities.

• Use multiple authentication factors. Besides robust passwords, it’s advisable to enable a second or third authentication factor for all the accounts where it’s possible, given this adds an extra security layer, and helps to prevent hacking and identity theft.

• Keep the software updated. It’s important that operative systems, antivirus software and apps installed on the device are updated to the last version made available by the manufacturer, given it helps to improve the performance and adds the latest security patches.

• Register new downloads. Each new application that’s downloaded to the device must be installed and documented correctly, to maintain an inventory of all the hardware and software we have, and its status.

• Make back-ups regularly. The information that’s stored within the hard drive or on cloud should have its own security copy saved on a secondary source, which helps keep it in case it’s hacked or suffers a technical malfunction. It also avoids the information to become a ransomware victim.

By adding these small actions to our daily life, we’ll make cybersecurity a proactive habit to prevent security inconveniences and cybernetical threats.