5 Simple and Effective Tips to Protect from Cyber Attacks for Cyber Security Awareness Month

This article was originally published on EIN Presswire on October 07, 2019.

SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA, UNITED STATES, October 7, 2019 /EINPresswire/ — To mark the month of October being Cyber Security Awareness Month, Beyond Security, a leading provider of automated security testing solutions, is providing 5 effective and easy to follow tips for protecting against Internet security threats that can cause both financial and emotional damages. While the future remains uncertain when it comes to sophisticated cyber-attacks, it’s important to be prepared and safe guard vital and confidential data against any kind of security breach.

1. Update Your Software

Security is an arms-race, but thankfully the good guys aren’t resting. Make sure to use an up-to-date and supported operating system, browser and other software. Windows 10 has built-in protective measures that obstruct many forms of ransomware, and all leading browsers are continuously updated to combat the latest threats and attacks. The update is often simple and automated but the responsibility is on the user to make sure the updates are taking place. Don’t wait – check and make sure today that all software you are using is the latest version.

2. Deploy Preventative Tools

Don’t be reactive, be proactive. Deploy preventive tools like vulnerability assessment tools – those can accurately identify close to 100% of common vulnerabilities that are exploited by attackers. A simple, and regular vulnerability assessment for your systems will identify potential weak points and suggest proper remediation actions such as patch management that will stop a would-be attacker in its tracks.

3. Test Your Software

Most companies are unable to develop all the necessary software in-house and use independent software vendors (ISVs) to build the required software. The problem is that these applications are not always built with security in mind. Make sure your ISVs are using the accepted standard for security testing, including static code analysis (white box testing) and dynamic code analysis (black box testing or fuzzing) which drastically reduce the attack surface of applications. Having the ISV perform these tests during development will save you money in the long run compared to having to fix a security hole when the software is deployed.

4. Backup Critical Data

Make sure you have redundancy. Backing up your critical data regularly reduces the impact of a potentially successful Ransomware attack. It goes without saying that data storage must be coupled with other hardening measures such as encryption and strong authentication.

5. Buy Security Insurance

Buy insurance. Even with taking all the above measures, there is a chance that an attacker may get through since full security is never guaranteed. No one can achieve perfect security, and security risk needs to be managed just like every other business risk. There are options to buy cybersecurity insurance policies that will protect you in rare cases that an attack is successful.