Last year, 93% of malware was found to be polymorphic – changing its code to avoid detection. Cybercrime is a very real, very sophisticated threat against ALL businesses.
Webroot’s Threat Report found that 93% of malware was found to be polymorphic, which means it’s able to change its code to avoid being detected by standard cybersecurity solutions. If you have a firewall and antivirus software, this is not enough to keep you safe. You need a multi-layered approach that incorporates enterprise-grade measures of protection. This is the only way to keep your employees, data, and ultimately, your livelihood safe nowadays. So how do you start implementing a multi-layered approach? Here’s a step-by-step guide.
Be Aware of Your Environment
Many businesses now use a combination of on-premise and cloud-based IT resources to run their internal processes. Knowing what data and applications are critical to your survival and knowing where those databases and applications are housed will give you a starting point to locking them down. Undergoing a risk assessment is a great way to start being more aware of your environment. This will involve:
- Cataloging all of the assets and resources within the environment
- Assigning quantifiable value and importance to each resource found
- Identifying any vulnerabilities found within each resource
Once you’ve undergone a risk assessment wherein the above is completed, you’re able to start mitigating risks based on the level of importance.
Start Mitigating the Risks
Next, it’s time to start mitigating the risks found within your environment. This may be a lengthy process, but it’s well worth the time and effort to keep your company safe against sophisticated hackers.
- Apply all of the latest patches to your software and operating systems
- Install enterprise-grade antivirus software and run on a regular basis
- Develop a backup and disaster recovery plan to safeguard applications and data
- Train your staff members on the latest threats and how to thwart them
- Implement multi-factor authentication wherever possible to prevent unauthorized access
Kraft Technology Group can help with all of the above, then develop a multi-layered cybersecurity strategy that not only further minimizes risks, but keeps you prepared for the future of threats as they continue to evolve.
Leverage a Multi-Layered Cybersecurity Strategy
Kraft Technology Group specializes in working with businesses that take cybersecurity seriously. We understand that staying safe is about much more than simply minimizing risks – it’s about having a comprehensive strategy in place to keep threats out, regardless of how sophisticated and coordinated they are. We’re able to provide the essentials listed above, as well as:
- IT Maintenance and Monitoring – The day-to-day updates, upgrades, and fixes needed to keep your systems running.
- Firewall Implementation, Configuration, and Management – Choosing the right firewall and remotely updating it to stay current with emerging threats.
- Password Management – Helping your staff choose, remember, and protect their login credentials by automating the process.
- Rapid Incident Response – Dealing with security issues remotely or on-site as required – often before you even notice that there was a problem.
- Internal Cybersecurity Protocols – Developing user-defined roles and limiting IT access based on those roles to limit the potential of malicious activity.
- Traffic Filtering – Using a predetermined set of criteria to limit employees’ access to specific, dangerous and time-wasting websites.
- Employee Cybersecurity Awareness Training – Using online training, blind testing, and group courses to help your employees understand and recognize cybercrime.
- IT Systems and Physical Access Security Systems Integrations – Working to make sure that any internet connectivity required by physical access systems is secure.
- Cloud Security – Surveying and authenticating the IT security claims of cloud-based applications and hosting providers to help you use the cloud safely.
- Email Security – Leveraging filtering protocols to protect your inbox from spam and phishing emails.
- Endpoint Security – Ensuring that each entry point to your network is locked down against unauthorized access.
- Remote Work Security – Using VPN and virtualization technologies to secure the online work of traveling staff and remote workers.
Can You Handle Cybersecurity Yourself?
There are parts of cybersecurity you can put in place yourself, especially if you run a startup or a small business, but in the end, you’re going to want to turn your cybersecurity maintenance, management, and monitoring over to a team of cybersecurity professionals. The challenging part of the cybersecurity field is that it’s always evolving to respond to emerging threats. Only a team with a singular focus on keeping their clients safe can keep current with these changes and convert that knowledge to necessary real-time changes within your IT environment.
Get in touch with us at (615) 600-4411 or email us at info@kraftgrp.com to start taking the right precautions to stay safe against cybercrime. KTG has the expertise you need to know it’s done right.
