5 Cybersecurity Tools to Protect Your Business

When we are more connected than ever, being “cyber smart” is of the utmost importance. This year has already seen more than a fair share of attacks and breaches, including the SolarWinds and Kaseya breaches, as well as high-profile attacks on the Colonial Pipeline and other critical infrastructure. Furthermore, as has been underlined by these recent breaches, cyberattacks are becoming more sophisticated, with more evolved bad actors cropping up each day. Luckily, there are several steps that we can take daily to mitigate risks and stay one step ahead of malefactors. Here are a few quick tips:

Enable MFA

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds that necessary second check to verify your identity when logging in to one of your accounts. In addition, by requiring multiple authentication methods, your account is further protected from being compromised, even if a bad actor hijacks your password. In this way, MFAs make it more difficult for password cracking tools to enable attackers to break into accounts.

Use Solid Passphrases/Password Manager

Using a password manager may seem obvious but securing strong passphrases/password managers is often overlooked. For example, spending more time online during the pandemic has undoubtedly contributed to more bad actors prowling for accounts to attack. Using long, complex, and unique passwords is a good way to stop your account from being hacked, and an easy way of keeping track and remembering your passwords is by using a password manager.

Perform Software Updates

When a device prompts that it is time to update the software, it may be tempting to click postpone and ignore the message. However, having the latest security software, web browser, and operating system on devices is one of the best defenses against online threats. So, do not wait - update.

Do Your Research

Common sense is a crucial part of maintaining good online hygiene, and an intuitive step to stay safe online is to do some research before downloading anything new, such as a new app. For example, before downloading a new app make sure that it is legitimate by checking who created the app and what the user reviews say. Also, any articles published online about the app’s privacy and security features.

Check Your Settings

Be diligent in double-checking your privacy and security settings and be aware of who can access your documents. This extends from Google docs to Zoom calls and beyond. For meetings on Zoom, for example, create passwords so only those invited to the session can attend and restrict who can share their screen or files with the rest of the attendees. 

Keeping your business protected from cyber-attacks is critical. If you would like help deciding what procedures or tools are best to keep your business safe, TCS can help! Call us today 336.804.8449 or request a consultation and one of our team members will reach out to you.