November 13, 2015
-
Colby DeRodeff
,

Top 6 Tips To Avoid a Hack Attack

<p>Cyber security is a top priority for many businesses today. In the wake of numerous corporate breaches over the last few years, all users are on higher alert about the safety of their sensitive data. The last thing your IT department needs is a hack attack – so how can you prevent this from happening? Here are 6 key tips to help you protect your enterprise data!</p><p><strong>1.  Educate your employees.</strong></p><p>A well educated IT team that knows about the potential cyber risks your business could encounter is your best line of defense against hackers. Make your employees aware of the ways cyber criminals can infiltrate your systems. Teach staff members to recognize the signs of a breach so you can <strong><a href="https://www.anomali.com/blog/create-an-army-of-raspberry-pi-honeypots-on-a-budget">identify and address</a></strong> one as soon as possible. You should also educate employees on how to stay safe while using the company's network.</p><p><strong>2.  Implement formal security policies.</strong></p><p>Having company-wide security policies in place can help reduce your likelihood of an attack. Require strong passwords – those with a combination of upper- and lowercase letters, with numbers and symbols – that should be changed every 60 to 90 days. Hold your employees accountable for <strong><a href="https://www.anomali.com/blog/threat-intelligence-platforms-tracking-more-than-just-threats">cyber security </a></strong>and make sure all employees understand their responsibilities in using both company-issued and personal devices for work purposes.</p><p><strong>3.  Practice your incident response plan.</strong></p><p>You already know you should have a plan of action ready to go in case of a data breach – but have you practiced that plan with your employees to make sure all employees know what they're doing? It’s smart to run a drill of your response plan (and refine if necessary) so your staff can detect and contain the breach quickly should an incident occur.</p><p><strong>4.  Plan for a breach.</strong></p><p><strong><a href="https://www.towergateinsurance.co.uk/liability-insurance/smes-and-cyber-attacks">31 percent</a></strong> of small businesses lack a plan of action for responding to a security breach, and 22 percent say they don't know where to start in terms of cyber security. The likelihood of a cyber attack on any size business continues to increase as technology and hacking techniques advance, and without a response plan in place, your business is more likely to falter and mishandle a breach when – not if – one occurs.</p><p><strong>5.  Invest in security software.</strong></p><p>The worst mistake an IT department can make regarding its cyber protection is not having any at all. A <strong><a href="https://www.anomali.com/products/threatstream">robust security solution</a></strong> is a must-have for any modern company, especially those who conduct most or all of their business online.</p><p><strong>6.  Keep your software up-to-date.</strong></p><p>When your security software notifies you that it's about to expire or needs a patch, don't delay in updating your system. Hackers are constantly scanning for security vulnerabilities, and if you let these weaknesses go for too long, you're greatly increasing your chances of being targeted.</p><p>These 6 tips will act as your armor in the fight against relentless hackers. In this line of work, you always have to remain on your toes, and these tactics will keep you one step ahead of any threat that creeps up.</p><p>Want more threat defense tips? Here’s everything you need to know to enhance your security infrastructure!</p>

Get the Latest Anomali Updates and Cybersecurity News – Straight To Your Inbox

Become a subscriber to the Anomali Newsletter
Receive a monthly summary of our latest threat intelligence content, research, news, events, and more.