Cybercrime damage costs are set to hit six trillion dollars by 2021. Last year, made headlines with the largest ransomware attack in history, WannaCry. Needless to say, cybercrime is on the rise and organizations need to be prepared. Organizations that leave their companies vulnerable to cyber attacks risk losing business and crucial data. A monthly cybersecurity audit helps businesses prevent being victims of cybercrime. Here are some steps that should be included in a cybersecurity audit:
Check that all software is up to date.
Regardless of the size of your organization, it’s critical that employee devices are operating on the most current software. Outdated software is a common culprit when it comes to failed cyber security audits, according to TechRadar. Employees can leave you open to security vulnerabilities and you shouldn’t rely on everyone to consistently stay on top of security-related tasks. Major software patches need to be installed in a timely manner to protect your company for cyber threats.
Change passwords frequently.
Passwords need to be changed at least once a month to keep data as secure as possible. Employees need to be made aware of password updating policies.
Plan ahead.
Even the most secure organizations need a disaster recovery strategy. In the event of a catastrophic data loss or power outage, it’s important that organizations have a plan in place on how to move forward. According to TechRadar, the plan should span multiple departments, rather than leaving the IT department in charge of the whole recovery process. The procedure for addressing such an episode should be put in writing, constantly updated to adhere to new developments in the cybersecurity field, and tested regularly to make sure it won’t fail you in a real-world scenario.
If you are interested in how cybersecurity and disaster recovery can benefit your organization, learn about MDL’s managed services.
