Christmas is creeping up! After a year that saw some of the worst data breaches in Australia’s history, we all deserve some peace of mind going into the silly season. Here are 5 simple things you need to do to stay cyber secure before you lock up for the holidays:
#1 Turn on Multifactor Authentication
We’ve said it once and we’ll say it again: turn on multifactor authentication right now. Set down your coffee and take 2 minutes to turn it on right now (not to alarm you but Santa is watching). Multifactor authentication (MFA) is an extremely effective way to prevent anyone other than you from accessing your accounts. When you log in to your account or device, having MFA will prompt an extra step such as a fingerprint, face ID, or a security code sent to a different device. This means if your credentials get breached, your account remains secure. It’s a no-brainer.
#2 Make Sure Your Staff Know If You Are Holidaying Overseas
You don’t need to give your team members a detailed itinerary of your trip, however, we recommend letting your employees know if you are or aren’t planning on travelling overseas so they can keep this in mind. This is a simple measure to prevent your staff from getting tricked by a phishing scam. If your team know you aren’t planning any globe-trotting, they should know that urgent email they just received from “you” asking them to transfer funds or provide passwords asap because you’re currently in Italy and can’t access the systems… yeah, that’s not you. Giving a heads-up can avoid a stressful situation for your team members during the holidays where they may not be able to reach you as easily as usual.
#3 Check Your Backups Are In Place
Make sure your backups are running regularly and as they should be. If you’ve been naughty this year and haven’t run any backups, we won’t tell Santa as long as you implement a backup system ASAP. Backups are a crucial safety net for your cybersecurity plan. They shouldn’t be your first defence, however, backups are golden if you experience a cyber attack, or system failure due to a power outage, flood, fire, etc. Losing your files, settings, and more can be an absolute nightmare for you and your staff. Take the simple step to set up a reliable backup system.
#4 Keep Passwords Protected
Do you have a sticky note on your monitor with your computer password? Would you leave your house keys hanging up next to your door? It’s important to keep your passwords safe and secure. The most simple and secure way to achieve password security is with a password manager. These systems create an encrypted vault to hold all of your credentials with one main password. Password managers can create strong passwords for you, keep your credentials safe and encrypted, and still give just you simple access when you need it. Much better than your sticky notes. We’re not sorry about it: rip those up right now.
#5 Secure Your Devices and Networks With Reliable Cyber Security
We can’t stress this enough: get protection over the holiday period. The Christmas break is the most vulnerable time period for businesses as hackers are aware of empty offices with little surveillance and weak cyber security to easily exploit. We highly recommend implementing a free trial of reputable cyber security software, such as Sophos, to keep your organisation protected over the holiday closure. Give yourself peace of mind while you enjoy festivities with your loved ones, and review your options when you return in the new year.
We partner with Sophos, leading cyber security software, and offer the full product at no cost to you for 30 days. This gives you uncapped protection and plenty of time before reviewing your cyber security options in the new year. Get in touch with us today to get your obligation-free Sophos trial and get protected over the silly season.
