In our last blog we discussed the seven essential cybersecurity practices that every business should implement to ensure their security. In this piece, we go into more detail on the step-by-step process of bringing these practices to life!
To start with, let’s recap on the best practices and then go through how to implement them step-by-step:
1. Educate Your Employees
2. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
3. Regularly Update and Patch Your Software and Hardware
4. Use Antivirus Software and Firewalls
5. Backup Your Data Regularly
6. Secure Your Network Connectivity
7. Develop a Cybersecurity Plan
Keep in mind that the technology and processes that each business has will be different, so the specifics of going through each step will vary. With that said, let’s dive in:
1. Educate Your Employees About Cybersecurity
Because the vast majority of cyberattacks are linked to user-error, securing the human-factor in your cybersecurity is an essential part of making headway on your security.
Here’s how to transform your team into your strongest cybersecurity asset:
Step 1: Start with a baseline assessment to understand the current cybersecurity knowledge and practices of your team – ask them about their confidence in their knowledge, the importance they assign to practices like having strong passwords, and whether they have come into contact with cyber threats, such as phishing emails, before.
Step 2: Develop a training program, around these insights that includes recognizing phishing scams, password security, and secure internet practices. You can use resources and modules that cater to varying levels of expertise within your team.
Step 3: Carry out your training program and from there, schedule in regular training sessions, including annual refreshers and updates on new key threats, for example.
Step 4: Now that cybersecurity is a human habit in your company, you can nurture this further by encouraging a culture of security, such as promoting open discussions about cybersecurity and recognizing employees contributions to company security.
How can an IT support company help?
An IT support provider can deploy tools that simulate phishing attacks on your users, as well as hold user awareness training sessions about how to implement cybersecurity best practices for your business.
2. Implement Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
As mentioned in our last article, MFA is a simple measure that gives your business a powerful extra layer of security. Here’s how to go about implementing it across your software. You can also use dedicated stand-alone MFA solutions, such as JumpCloud.
Step 1: Survey your software and determine whether they allow your business to setup MFA across your user accounts. This will help to ensure there aren’t gaps in the implementation of MFA in your business. Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace are both two workplace platforms that offer MFA.
Step 2: Encourage your team to adopt MFA across each of the relevant software as appropriate.
Step 3: You’ll want to be able to ensure this has been done using the native tools in your software or with a 3rd party MFA software solution. For software that does not have MFA capabilities built into them, a third-party MFA software solution may offer integrations to bridge the gap; 3rd party software can also offer a centralized place for seamlessly managing MFA across your business too.
Step 4: From there, it’s about keeping a consistent and up-to-date practice. Monitor and review the effectiveness of MFA regularly, adjusting settings as needed to balance security and usability.
How can IT support providers help?
An IT support provider can use their expertise to systematically roll out, configure, and maintain MFA across your business to ensure its security, while ensuring MFA empowers compliance and convenience for you.
3. Regularly Update and Patch Your Software and Hardware
It can be tricky to keep all of your software and hardware up-to-date, but a patch management solution will make it easy for your business:
Step 1: Find a patch management software that can keep track of updates across your software and hardware.
Step 2: Schedule regular patch management windows to apply updates automatically and conveniently, minimizing disruption to your operations.
Step 3: Prioritize updates based on the severity of the vulnerabilities they address, focusing on critical patches first.
Step 4: Take care to verify that patches have been successfully applied across your network, using automated tools where possible. Your patch management software will likely provide this feature.
4. Use Antivirus Software and Firewalls
Implementing antivirus software and firewalls are critical aspects to securing the endpoints (devices) in your network. Here’s how to go about implementing them respectively:
Step 1 – Assessment and Selection: Evaluate your network’s specific needs to choose the right type of firewall (hardware, software, or UTM). Consider factors like your network size, data types, and cybersecurity requirements. An IT support provider can greatly simplify this process and ensure all factors are taken into account.
Step 2 – Installation and Configuration: Whether it’s a hardware device or a cloud-based firewall solution, install the firewall and configure its basic settings. Set up rules to define allowed and blocked traffic, and enable additional features like VPN access and intrusion prevention as needed.
Step 3 – Testing and Adjustment: Test the firewall to ensure it correctly filters traffic according to your rules. Try to test this against multiple scenarios (e.g remote working scenarios). Adjust configurations as needed to ensure optimal protection without unnecessary disruption to your core business activities.
Step 4 – Ongoing Monitoring and Updates: From there, take care to regularly monitor firewall logs for signs of suspicious activity and keep the firewall firmware or software up-to-date. Adjust settings and rules to evolve with your business and the wider cyber landscape.
Antivirus Software
Step 1 – Evaluation and Choice: Determine the number and types of devices needing protection. Select an antivirus solution that fits your business’s size, device types, and specific security concerns. Prioritize one that offers centralized management for ease.
Step 2 – Installation and Initial Configuration: Install the antivirus software on all relevant devices, utilizing centralized management tools. Configure automatic scans, real-time protection, and automatic updates according to best practices.
Step 3 – Initial Scanning and User Education: Conduct a full scan on all devices to detect and clean existing threats. Make sure your employees know the importance of not disabling or ignoring antivirus protections.
Step 4 – Maintenance and Regular Updates: Keep the antivirus software up-to-date with the latest virus definitions and program updates. Regularly review detection logs and alerts, and adjust settings as necessary to maintain strong levels of protection.
How can IT support providers help?
An IT support provider can help with both of these key measures. When it comes to networking in particular, a business is often best placed to work with an IT support provider to ensure network security, and that any vulnerabilities are addressed in the process.
5. Backup Your Data Regularly
A data backup and recovery solution for your business is quite literally a lifeline should any loss or destruction of data occur in your business. Here’s how to set one up:
Step 1: Identify the critical data that needs regular backups, including customer information, financial records, and essential business documents.
Step 2: Choose a backup solution that offers encryption and secure storage, whether on-site or in the cloud. Microsoft 365, for instance, provides options for cloud storage that can be integrated with your backup strategy.
Step 3: Establish a backup schedule that reflects the importance and frequency of data changes, ensuring backups are performed regularly. Take care to make sure data backup and retention is in alignment with any regulatory requirements such as those of the CCPA.
Step 4: Regularly test your backup and recovery processes to ensure data can be effectively restored in the event of a cyber incident.
How can an IT support provider help?
IT support providers can ensure maximum reliability and comprehensive coverage for your data backup and recovery solution. They can test backup practices regularly against multiple different recovery scenarios, ensuring that when you need them, your data can be restored quickly and reliably.
6. Secure Your Network Connectivity
Although a firewall is a key step in ensuring the security of your network, the connections between your devices, your network, and the world wide web are also a critical priority to address. Here’s how to secure network connectivity:
Step 1: Conduct a network security audit to identify potential vulnerabilities, such as unsecured Wi-Fi networks or outdated encryption protocols. In addition, review the security of your remote working setup: do you have oversight over the devices connecting to your network? Could they be using unsecured or public Wi-Fi networks to connect?
Step 2: Implement secure Wi-Fi practices, a device management solution to gain oversight over and regulate the devices connecting to your network, and consider using a VPN solution for staff that are remotely connecting to your network.
Step 3: After setting up these measures, use the device management solution and VPN software to verify that only whitelisted devices are accessing your network, and unsafe connections from public Wi-Fi networks are prohibited, usually excepting via a VPN.
Step 4: Take care to regularly monitor network traffic for unusual activity that could indicate a security breach. These reviews will help you understand the connections being made to your network and the flow of traffic across it.
How can an IT support provider help?
An IT support provider can deploy network monitoring tools, conduct a thorough network audit, as well as a device management solution, tying them together to give you oversight and control over your network and its connectivity.
7. Develop A Cybersecurity Plan
Alongside IT tools to enforce robust cybersecurity, your SMB needs a plan to maintain and evolve its cybersecurity posture. Here’s how:
Step 1: Make time! Take time to carry out a review of your cybersecurity posture, consider what measures you have in place, where there are blind-spots, and consider the elements of this checklist to help you orient your efforts. Engage with your team for insights.
Step 2: Draft a cybersecurity plan that outlines your approach to prevention, detection, response, and recovery. This plan should include roles and responsibilities, as well as procedures for common incidents in the form of an incident response plan.
Step 3: Engage your team by informing them of the plan and any new measures and practices that come with it. Drive stakeholder adoption and ensure accountability as your business begins to consolidate its cybersecurity posture.
Step 4: Regularly review and update your cybersecurity plan to adapt to new threats and business changes. Especially in alignment with the growth of your business and its technology stack.
Final Thoughts
These cybersecurity practices are a starting point for SMBs in San Luis Obispo and beyond to get started with fortifying themselves from a wide range of cyber threats. Your business will be able to focus on what it does best, ensure continuity, minimize risk, while ensuring it can continue delighting and winning the trust of its customers.
Today, cybersecurity is not just about risk-prevention, it’s become a critical business investment. Partnering with local IT support and IT services can make a big difference for your cybersecurity and the productivity of your business. These providers can offer tailored advice and cybersecurity support for your IT environment, including Microsoft 365 setups, your network, hosting, and more.
By taking these practical steps, SMBs can build a strong defense against cyber threats, protecting their assets, reputation, and future. We hope this guide has been helpful and if you have any questions or need advice, we’re always happy to help!
Accqua IT Solutions – Managed IT, Support and Solutions for Central Coast Businesses
We’re a full-service IT support and managed service provider located at the heart of California’s Central Coast region in San Luis Obispo. We’re committed to helping businesses like yours reach new heights of productivity with IT that’s secure, optimized and fully aligned with your business processes. To find out more or to start using IT as a lever for growth in your business, reach out to Accqua today. We’d love to hear from you!
