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Update regularly
Installing updates across devices, applications
and operating systems on a regular basis is
an integral step to achieving strong cyber
hygiene. Though it’s easy to ignore updates
when you need to meet a deadline or help
a customer, failure to keep your devices
updated can drastically simplify the process
for cybercriminals seeking to corrupt your
device. One of the most effective – and
easiest – ways to avoid that tendency is to
simply add patching and updating to your
work schedule. It’s hard to fit something in if
it’s not on your calendar for the day. If you
don’t schedule it like you do other tasks and
meetings, it’s easy to push it to another day.
Regularly applying updates and patches
ensures that the operating system and
applications you are using are protected
against known vulnerabilities. One recent
attack that demonstrates the importance
of these updates is WannaCry, which
leveraged known Microsoft vulnerabilities
– for which patches were readily available –
to distribute ransomware. Had the targeted
organisations and remote end users simply
administered updates and patches to
their devices they would have been far less
susceptible to this attack.
It’s also important to ensure all the
programmes and applications that run
within the business network are still
supported by the publisher, and that you
retire or replace those that are not.
Strong access management
Access management is a simple but very
effective cyber hygiene best practice. You
should be using strong passwords and two-
factor authentication across all devices
and accounts.
Passwords should be complex, incorporating
numbers and special characters. And try to
avoid reusing passwords across accounts
– especially on devices and applications
that are used to access sensitive business
information. This is because if your
account is breached on one site, and your
information is leaked, credential stuffing
and brute force attacks can use this leaked
information to target other accounts.
The biggest challenge for this sort of
password strategy is simply remembering or
keeping track of them. Because of this, many
of the stronger passwords are easier to guess.
Instead, use acronyms or phrases to help
with remembering passwords. And as the
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number of passwords you need to remember
increases, consider employing management
software to help you keep track of them. if it is legitimate, to also suggest that they
use a different process besides distributing
unannounced attachments and links.
Strong passwords, augmented with two-factor
authentication, is even better, ensuring that
only authorised people can access business-
critical systems and sensitive data. Recent
advances in biometrics, such as fingerprint
scanners and facial recognition software,
provide similar multi-factor authentication.
Additionally, use segmentation, network
admission control and role-based access
controls to limit the users and devices that
can access high-value, sensitive information. Install anti-malware
Practice safe email use
The most popular attack vector still being
leveraged by cybercriminals is email.
Because of its uniquitous use, it remains
the easiest way to distribute malware to
unsuspecting users. Though, there are many
ways cybercriminals leverage email for
malicious activities, ultimately they largely
rely on tricking recipients into clicking on
malicious links and attachments, often
by impersonating another employee or
someone they know.
Some of the most popular email scams are
phishing and spear phishing. Phishing attacks
include links to websites that look legitimate,
such as a bank, business, or government
office, which then ask users to log in –
thereby stealing credentials or infecting
the device with malware. Spear phishing
increases the effectiveness of such attacks by
impersonating an employee or trusted user
before requesting login information, sensitive
employee data, money transfers, or simply
asking them to open an infected attachment
or click on a malicious link.
To combat such threats, you must be vigilant
when responding to emails, especially those
with links and attachments. Never click on a
link or attachment from an unknown sender.
And even if an email seems to come from
a trusted source, be sure to look closely
at the email address or website URL they
refer you to. Often, names or URLs will have
misspellings, which indicate an attack. Even
if things look normal, stop and ask yourself
if this looks or sounds like something this
person would send to you or ask you to do.
Most of the time, links are only provided
after a request has been made, or as part of
a larger or longer conversation.
Unexpected requests are always suspect
and may warrant directly contacting the
sender to not only verify the request, but
While anti-malware software cannot stop
unknown attacks, the vast majority of attacks
and exploits reuse attacks that have been
previously successful. Installing anti-malware
or anti-virus software across all your devices
and networks provides protection in the event
of a successful phishing scam or an attempt to
exploit a known vulnerability. In addition, look
for tools that provide sandboxing functionality,
whether as part of an installed security
package or as a cloud-based service, to also
detect Zero-Day and other unknown threats.
Have a cyber response plan in place
and understand the details
All businesses, regardless of size, should have
an incident response and recovery plan in
place to minimise downtime in the event
of an attack. Make sure you and all other
employees are aware of this plan so there
are no questions about the next steps during
an attack. This includes having a hotline
prominently displayed so employees know
who to contact if they suspect there has been
a breach. You also need to ensure that this
hotline is either manned 24/7 or that an after-
hours number is readily available. Waiting to
learn about a breach until after your support
team arrives for work may be too late.
Having a streamlined plan combined with
a staff that are all on the same page will
allow you and your business to quickly stop
an attack from spreading throughout the
network, reduce dwell time, minimise the
exfiltration of data, and get everyone back
online faster.
Final thoughts
Cybersecurity is no longer the sole
responsibility of the IT and security teams.
As employees interact with and rely on
technology every day, often from remote
locations, they all play an integral role in the
security of the organisation.
To ensure security and compliance,
especially as trends such as Digital
Transformation and mobility continue to
expand, each individual employee must
understand and practice cyber hygiene. By
being aware of common attack vectors and
utilising the tips provided, your users can
help stop the spread of malware and keep
your business running smoothly. n
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