As much as we love the Internet, it has also given us some things to get concerned about such as the security of the information we share (especially if you love to do online shopping) and the fraudulent transactions many have fallen for. Companies, however, rarely look into these things, secured by the basic measures they have already put in place.
But a truly secured and unhackable system is one that monitors its encryptions, uses multi-factor authentication instead of single-factor passwords, and assesses the system for possible corruption and vulnerabilities. With a ServiceNow security package, you can do this and more. But first, any businessman worth his salt must understand the cybersecurity risks that pose a threat to his business.
Data Breach
Households and businesses are turning to cloud storage for the transfer, protection, and backup of their data. And why not? It saves a lot of space. It’s convenient and non-threatening. Or is it? Because you’re transferring data offline, other machines can gain access to it. You are not using the interface of a cloud storage service alone. Others have access to it, too, and it leaves your business vulnerable to attacks. You’re basically leaving the security of your business data to your cloud service provider.
Hacking
This has been a problem for a long time now, and many unscrupulous businesses actually use it to intimidate competitions and put them out of business. Hacking happens only because of shared credentials and a weak system. As more and more data are being shared over the Internet and devices and systems are being connected to each other, that leaves systems more vulnerable than ever. Make sure never to share your passwords with anyone, put restrictions toward sharing, and track the digital activities—internal only, of course—of your employees to prevent unauthorized sharing of information.
Weak Passwords
You think that since it’s the 21st century, people would have learned how to create secure passwords that are not susceptible to breaches. But no, some companies are still using single-factor passwords. Companies need to be serious with their passwords by putting in place security measures such as changing passwords regularly, teaching employees how to create a strong password string, and using multi-factor authentication.
Employees
These people, specifically ex-employees, continue to be the biggest cybersecurity threat for companies. It is important to vet employees, making sure that they won’t be negligible of the various levels of security measures in place. From the head of the company to the intern, it is important for businesses to mitigate insider threat by communicating cybersecurity policies, implementing data-protection protocols, and monitoring in-house digital activities.
Shadow IT Systems
These are software, hardware, programs, applications, and tools being used by company employees without the explicit approval of the IT department. Many employees feel like they need to work outside the company’s approved systems because some tools are better at making them efficient and productive. However, when employees use these applications or programs, they risk data leaks and breaches.
The best way to combat cybersecurity threats is to educate your employees about the consequences of non-compliance to the existing cybersecurity plans of the company. You must also regularly review the systems and update them if needed. Hiring a competent IT team, of course, must be on top of your list. Your IT team will be responsible for the protection of your network of systems, tools, software, and applications.
