It’s been a wild year in the world of cyber security. From social-engineered threats to a whole country going offline, it’s safe to say there’ve been some challenges…but also learning opportunities on how to better protect our business!
Digitally savvy or not, business leaders are increasingly recognising the importance of cyber security risk management. In fact, cyber resilience has quickly become a top priority for 96% of businesses.
We’ve come up with a few things 2022 has taught us about cyber security, and how we can use this information to leap into 2023 prepared for what’s to come.
1. It Can Happen to Anyone
Most of us are familiar with the high-profile cyber breaches that Optus, Medibank, Telstra and Uber have experienced, contributing to a common misconception that cyber-attacks can only happen to medium-large organisations. However, any sized business remains vulnerable to cyber-attacks. These breaches are happening right in our own community.
We have seen local incidents in the news of third parties gaining access to systems, unfortunately making them one of the latest victims of a cyber attack. No one wants to be in the news for those reasons.
National telecommunications companies or local non-profit health organisations, all businesses are susceptible to a cyber attack. It’s the businesses that don’t have a strong cyber threat stance that is more likely to suffer an attack.
2023 Tip: Just start somewhere. Putting little security measures in place now is better than not having any business protection at all. From here you can build on and improve your cyber security stance, decreasing the likelihood of a cyber breach.
2. Prepare Your People
There are a lot of steps and measures to take when securing your business. In saying that, human error is responsible for 82% of cyber breaches, so businesses have quickly learned that the first measure to take is strengthening your first line of defence: your employees.
The rapid increase in remote working conditions has contributed to this extremely high number, making employee cyber awareness training a must-have for all businesses. These training programs raise awareness and prepare your team for a variety of cyber-related “what-if” scenarios, such as phishing scams.
Some other benefits of cyber security training include:
- Building a culture of security
- Gives your clients a sense of security
- Enhanced human input improves technological defences
- And more!
In fact, cyber safety programs are becoming such a widespread norm that they will soon be introduced into Australian primary school curriculums, preparing the next generation for what’s to come.
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As cyber threats become more sophisticated, embracing Cyber Awareness is imperative. Equip your team with the knowledge to identify and thwart evolving threats.
2023 Tip: Part of your cyber risk management strategy involves your team having the ability to confidently detect and respond to cyber threats. Protect your business today and incorporate employee cyber awareness training.
3. Zero Trust Thinking
Cybercrime is becoming far more common, sophisticated and is showing no signs of slowing down. One quick click of a link can compromise our data, networks, identities and confidential information. This growing threat landscape has taught us that when it comes to protecting our business and people, we need to be wary of where we place our trust.
2023 Tip: Maintain a ‘Zero Trust’ mindset. Ensure all users are continuously authenticated and authorised, before being granted access to networks and data. Use a password manager to secure your employee’s passwords, ensuring they’re updated every so often. Prepare for the worst and assume you have already been breached.
4. Cyber Insurance
Cybercrime is at an all-time high and is a major concern for businesses. If a business does fall victim to a cyber attack, cyber insurance is there to help a business recover by covering breach-associated costs, repairing damaged systems, recovering lost data and more. This will help get you back on your feet in no time, dramatically reducing downtime and the severity of the aftermath.
2023 Tip: Whether you’re an SME or a large organisation, we strongly recommend you take out a cyber insurance policy today. This is yet another strong part of your cyber risk management strategy and has shown to be a saving grace for many businesses.
Want to learn more about cyber insurance? Our latest article will help clear up any confusion.
Let’s Jump into 2023 Together
Businesses need to continue to take cybersecurity seriously. We’re not just saying this because we’re an expert cyber security business in Cairns – we’re saying this because cybercrime is a very real threat that has great potential to harm your small business.
Looking for support? With over 26 years of working in the IT industry, our Managed Security Services have what it takes to secure your data, systems, and people. Talk to one of our friendly consultants today to begin your cyber defence journey.