If you think your firewall and intrusion detection systems are enough to protect your business from a data breach, then think again. With the cyber threat landscape constantly evolving, new exploits appear every day, and mitigating the risks involved can quickly become extremely demanding on your resources. That’s why a proactive approach to cybersecurity is critical to the future success of your business.
Cybersecurity should never take a backseat. Instead, it should be part of an ongoing process that helps keep your business prepared for any eventuality. By conducting regular network, risk, and vulnerability assessments, you’ll be better equipped to prepare your business for both new and emerging threats.
Vulnerability Testing
New vulnerabilities are found every day, and that’s why hardware manufacturers and software developers regularly release security patches to close any security holes and prevent them from being exploited by hackers.
Vulnerability testing combines regular network scanning combined with an analysis of your computing infrastructure followed by remediation to address any potential security holes discovered.
Vulnerability testing will uncover potential problems caused by things like outdated software and firmware, components that have reached the end of their lifecycles and are no longer supported by the manufacturer as well as a multitude of other possible issues. A vulnerability test will also assign a risk level to every issue found, allowing you to address potential security flaws based on priority.
Penetration Testing
Regular network assessments are an essential component of any proactive security strategy, but there’s no substitute for penetration testing.
Penetration testing involves having security specialists attempt to hack into your network using similar methods and tools that malicious hackers themselves use. In other words, it acts as a complete simulation of an attempted data breach using a real-world scenario as the premise.
There are various forms of penetration testing. The cheapest and least disruptive approach involves everyone on your team knowing about the security drill in advance, while the most effective tests involve surprise attacks that typically only one person in your organization knows about.
These tests demonstrate how your existing infrastructure holds up against attempted attacks, making it one of the most effective ways to produce an accurate evaluation of your security protocols.
Awareness Training
It might come as a surprise, but the greatest risk facing security in the workplace comes from your employees. If your employees are not heavily involved in your cybersecurity strategy, then chances are they won’t be adequately aware of the risks facing your business. That’s why your risk assessments should incorporate both technology and the people tasked with overseeing its operation.
Social engineering assessments are among the most important when it comes to determining the capabilities of your employees in dealing with potential and existing threats. By raising awareness and enrolling staff in ongoing training, they will be better equipped to identify threats, hold one another accountable, and know whom to report to when something goes wrong.
Given that many cybercriminals now target end users themselves, rather than relying on technical vulnerabilities alone, the need for regular training is now very real.
At Founders Tech, we’re all about helping small businesses get more out of their technology without the risk that often comes with it. By partnering with us, you’ll have the expertise and tools you need to make certain that there are no weak points in your computing infrastructure. Call us today if you’re ready to make your cybersecurity woes a thing of the past.