For your cyber security defenses to be effective, you must be constantly updating and testing your network. Since 71% of cyber attacks target small business, it has never been more important. You must stay vigilant for your cyber security to stay effective and it can be exhausting. There are 4 common vulnerabilities you may not be regularly testing for or defending against.
Your Employees
Unfortunately, human error is still the biggest weakness in your network. People make mistakes. If one of your employees mistakenly opens a malicious PDF attachment, they could let a hacker into your network where they are able to take your data and hold it for ransom.
What to do
Security training. If your employees can recognize the red flag for phishing emails and sites that could hold viruses, your network will be much safer.
Unsecure Mobile Devices
If your employees can access your network from their mobile device, that is one way hackers can get around many of the security defenses you have. If your employees need to be able to use mobile devices (and many employees really do) then you need to make sure this isn’t putting you at risk. Even something as simple as having company email on a personal device can be a threat.
What to do
Mobile Device Management. For personal devices, this puts all company information, apps, and data in one secure place (while staying completely separate from any and all personal information on their phone). If a device is stolen or an employee leaves the company, you can remotely wipe all company data.
Outdated Website
If the security certificate is out-of-date on your website, this could allow hackers to exploit vulnerabilities. Updates may seem like a nuisance, but one of the main reasons it is important to keep up with them (on your website and with your applications) is that newer versions have better security.
What to do
Always update your security certificates. Be proactive when it comes to installing updates and patches – don’t hit “remind me tomorrow”. The defense tools prioritize vulnerabilities and threats to fix the biggest weaknesses first.
Infected External Devices
If you find a USB on the ground, you did not just get lucky. This device could be infected with malware. Yes, this has really happened before. Cyber criminals left USBs in parks, on sidewalks, and in hall ways to get people to plug them into their computers so they could access their information. The device could be plugged in for as little as 30 seconds and still infect your device.
What to do
Avoid using USBs that you aren’t sure you can trust. Until the technology and encryption methods improve, USBs with an unknown history are a threat.
With these simple tips, these four common vulnerabilities can be squashed.
For more cyber security tips, download our Security Tips white paper.
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