The 4 Terrible Mistakes Companies Make that Leave them Crippled in the Face of Cyber Crime
You may already have a number of lists just lying around that give you the best tips of what to do about cybersecurity at your company. Well, we’ll take the other route. Let’s discuss what you shouldn’t do—the steps that are tried-and-tested (by many businesses before you) to leave companies unarmed when cyber criminals come to play.
1. Not Relying on Anything Other than Antivirus Programs and Security Tools
Security tools are the bread to the sandwich of cybersecurity. They are essential, yes, but you need to pile up peanut butter or layers of cheese and bacon to actually make the sandwich. If you think installing antivirus programs is it, then you’ve already stepped into the town seeping with cybercriminals.
2. Not Implementing Proper IT Governance
IT governance allows a company to use information in a better and safer manner. It offers value to the business by having easy access to quality resources that are well-organized, reducing cost in the long term and improving productivity at work. Not to mention keeping your data secure and compliant in the case when there is a change implementation (say, the introduction of a new hardware or software) or when malicious users get access to your data. The backup will be the savior you need at that moment.
With such obvious benefits, it may be a surprise why businesses don’t have proper IT governance in place. There are many reasons for this: internal politics, resistance to change and accountability. A company should attend to these issues to pave the way for a streamlined IT governance framework that allows the business to secure its assets and grow in a safer environment.
3. Not Encouraging Senior Leadership to Engage in Cybersecurity Measures
It’s easy to have your middle-tier and junior-most employees work on cybersecurity measures. They may follow the usual precautions, but never actually understand its importance unless you have your senior-most people religiously following security measures and encouraging others to do so.
Don’t make the mistake of placing the security of your company on the shoulders of a select few as a part of ‘work’. Have the senior leadership take active part in cybersecurity programs and measures so that being secure online becomes company culture—not just a part of work that needs to be checked off on the list of your employee’s to-do lists.
4. Not Implementing an Impactful Cybersecurity Training Program
Notice the focus on impactful.
Cybersecurity programs mean nothing if you don’t have one that actually imparts nuggets of information to your employees that they actively use in their daily work processes. Trainings can be boring and trainings can be tedious. Trainings can also be focused on a company size that does not match yours. If you have the wrong training for your employees, the message would not reach them.
Engage your employees in an information security training program that helps them understand the dangers and become more responsible in becoming a more secure component in your security chain.
Oh, and now that you’re here, you might like to know that Graystone International is offering customized cybersecurity training programs. Does making your company more secure sound like a good idea? Then reach out to our experts today!
