The 8 Most Important Ways to Improve Your Cybersecurity Strategy

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These days, you can’t be too cautious when it comes to cybersecurity – especially if you run a small- to mid-sized business. More than 43 percent of all cyberattacks target small businesses, with even small breaches costing hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Larger-scale attacks can do upwards of billions of dollars of damage.

The 8 Most Important Ways to Improve Your Cybersecurity Strategy

The real tragedy is that most cyberattacks are entirely preventable. With the right combination of proactive strategies and cybersecurity improvements, you can maximize your chances of remaining unscathed.

Cybersecurity Improvements

Let’s take a look at some of the most important cybersecurity improvements you can make:

  1. Invest in website security. If your business has a website, you’ll need to think seriously about website security. Your website is one of the most important elements of your business’s success, and it’s highly vulnerable to attack. Some basic measures can instantly reduce your risk profile, such as keeping your CMS updated, setting better passwords, and minimizing the plugins and extensions used. You can also choose a better, more secure host, rely on HTTPS, and guard against SQL injection attacks.
  2. Work with an expert. Next, consider working with an expert. Basic security measures are intuitive and easy to adopt, but a seasoned professional will be much more capable of identifying potential issues and making recommendations to proactively guarding against them. There are many options for this. For example, you could hire a full-time, internal director of cybersecurity. You could also work with an independent consultant or enlist the services of an IT and security agency.
  3. Understand and prevent your biggest threats. Not every business is going to face the same threats or have the same risk profile. Depending on your business model, the online resources you depend on (such as a website, an app, and internal software platforms), your industry, and your size, you may be especially vulnerable to certain types of attacks. Understand the nature of these attacks and have a plan to prevent them.
  4. Keep things updated. The most common security vulnerabilities stem from outdated software and devices. When developers learn of a vulnerability, they design and implement a patch to fix it – but this is only effective if you take the time to update the software. The easiest long-term solution here is to turn on automatic updates, but it’s also suitable to take time regularly to review and update your software manually.
  5. Monitor for abnormalities. Your business needs some kind of monitoring system in place. For example, if you have a website, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your traffic and take action if it seems like an excessive volume of traffic is coming from bots in an attempted DDoS attack. Often, if you catch an abnormality early, you can take proactive measures and prevent a worst-case scenario attack.
  6. Utilize firewalls and screening. It’s also helpful to implement firewalls and other screening features. Firewalls are fully customizable, allowing you to determine which kinds of traffic are allowed into and out of your network. It’s a great way to prevent outsiders from launching attacks and prevent your employees from making a critical error that could jeopardize your business.
  7. Train your employees. By some estimates, human error is the root cause of roughly 60 percent of all security breaches. Most cybercriminals don’t want to go through the effort of breaking through a robust defense; it’s much easier to use social engineering to get an employee to voluntarily hand over their password. Attacks along this vector are so simplistic they often require no existing technical knowledge. The upside is that they’re also easy to prevent. Spend some time educating and training your employees on basic best practices in cybersecurity, such as avoiding opening unfamiliar email attachments, choosing strong passwords, and refusing to give out passwords to others.
  8. Don’t forget about physical security. Finally, don’t neglect the importance of physical security. The best firewalls and monitoring systems available aren’t going to do anything if someone breaks into your office and steals a physical laptop that isn’t secured with a password. If your business operates remotely, you’ll need to train your employees to follow physical security measures.

The Importance of Adaptability

Hackers and cybercriminals are always adapting. They’re figuring out new strategies, they’re identifying new kinds of vulnerabilities, and they’re coming up with more impressive attack sequences. On top of that, there are more and more cybercriminals and hackers to contend with every year.

If you want to stay at the top of your game and keep your business well-protected, it’s vital to remain adaptable. You have to stay one step ahead of the threats and keep modifying your business to stay secure.

The real tragedy is that most cyberattacks are entirely preventable. With the right combination of proactive strategies and cybersecurity improvements, you can maximize your chances of remaining unscathed.

Cybersecurity Improvements

Let’s take a look at some of the most important cybersecurity improvements you can make:

  1. Invest in website security. If your business has a website, you’ll need to think seriously about website security. Your website is one of the most important elements of your business’s success, and it’s highly vulnerable to attack. Some basic measures can instantly reduce your risk profile, such as keeping your CMS updated, setting better passwords, and minimizing the plugins and extensions used. You can also choose a better, more secure host, rely on HTTPS, and guard against SQL injection attacks.
  2. Work with an expert. Next, consider working with an expert. Basic security measures are intuitive and easy to adopt, but a seasoned professional will be much more capable of identifying potential issues and making recommendations to proactively guarding against them. There are many options for this. For example, you could hire a full-time, internal director of cybersecurity. You could also work with an independent consultant or enlist the services of an IT and security agency.
  3. Understand and prevent your biggest threats. Not every business is going to face the same threats or have the same risk profile. Depending on your business model, the online resources you depend on (such as a website, an app, and internal software platforms), your industry, and your size, you may be especially vulnerable to certain types of attacks. Understand the nature of these attacks and have a plan to prevent them.
  4. Keep things updated. The most common security vulnerabilities stem from outdated software and devices. When developers learn of a vulnerability, they design and implement a patch to fix it – but this is only effective if you take the time to update the software. The easiest long-term solution here is to turn on automatic updates, but it’s also suitable to take time regularly to review and update your software manually.
  5. Monitor for abnormalities. Your business needs some kind of monitoring system in place. For example, if you have a website, it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your traffic and take action if it seems like an excessive volume of traffic is coming from bots in an attempted DDoS attack. Often, if you catch an abnormality early, you can take proactive measures and prevent a worst-case scenario attack.
  6. Utilize firewalls and screening. It’s also helpful to implement firewalls and other screening features. Firewalls are fully customizable, allowing you to determine which kinds of traffic are allowed into and out of your network. It’s a great way to prevent outsiders from launching attacks and prevent your employees from making a critical error that could jeopardize your business.
  7. Train your employees. By some estimates, human error is the root cause of roughly 60 percent of all security breaches. Most cybercriminals don’t want to go through the effort of breaking through a robust defense; it’s much easier to use social engineering to get an employee to voluntarily hand over their password. Attacks along this vector are so simplistic they often require no existing technical knowledge. The upside is that they’re also easy to prevent. Spend some time educating and training your employees on basic best practices in cybersecurity, such as avoiding opening unfamiliar email attachments, choosing strong passwords, and refusing to give out passwords to others.
  8. Don’t forget about physical security. Finally, don’t neglect the importance of physical security. The best firewalls and monitoring systems available aren’t going to do anything if someone breaks into your office and steals a physical laptop that isn’t secured with a password. If your business operates remotely, you’ll need to train your employees to follow physical security measures.

The Importance of Adaptability

Hackers and cybercriminals are always adapting. They’re figuring out new strategies, they’re identifying new kinds of vulnerabilities, and they’re coming up with more impressive attack sequences. On top of that, there are more and more cybercriminals and hackers to contend with every year.

If you want to stay at the top of your game and keep your business well-protected, it’s vital to remain adaptable. You have to stay one step ahead of the threats and keep modifying your business to stay secure.

Check the comment section below for additional information, share what you know, or ask a question about this article by leaving a comment below. And, to quickly find answers to your questions, use our search Search engine.

Note: Some of the information in samples on this website may have been impersonated or spoofed.

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Online Threat Alerts Security Tips

Pay the safest way

Credit cards are the safest way to pay for online purchases because you can dispute the charges if you never get the goods or services or if the offer was misrepresented. Federal law limits your liability to $50 if someone makes unauthorized charges to your account, and most credit card issuers will remove them completely if you report the problem promptly.

Guard your personal information

In any transaction you conduct, make sure to check with your state or local consumer protection agency and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) to see if the seller, charity, company, or organization is credible. Be especially wary if the entity is unfamiliar to you. Always call the number found on a website’s contact information to make sure the number legitimately belongs to the entity you are dealing with.

Be careful of the information you share

Never give out your codes, passwords or personal information, unless you are sure of who you're dealing with

Know who you’re dealing with

Crooks pretending to be from companies you do business with may call or send an email, claiming they need to verify your personal information. Don’t provide your credit card or bank account number unless you are actually paying for something and know who you are sending payment to. Your social security number should not be necessary unless you are applying for credit. Be especially suspicious if someone claiming to be from a company with whom you have an account asks for information that the business already has.

Check your accounts

Regularly check your account transactions and report any suspicious or unauthorised transactions.

Don’t believe promises of easy money

If someone claims that you can earn money with little or no work, get a loan or credit card even if you have bad credit, or make money on an investment with little or no risk, it’s probably a scam. Oftentimes, offers that seem too good to be true, actually are too good to be true.

Do not open email from people you don’t know

If you are unsure whether an email you received is legitimate, try contacting the sender directly via other means. Do not click on any links in an email unless you are sure it is safe.

Think before you click

If an email or text message looks suspicious, don’t open any attachments or click on the links.

Verify urgent requests or unsolicited emails, messages or phone calls before you respond

If you receive a message or a phone call asking for immediate action and don't know the sender, it could be a phishing message.

Be careful with links and new website addresses

Malicious website addresses may appear almost identical to legitimate sites. Scammers often use a slight variation in spelling or logo to lure you. Malicious links can also come from friends whose email has unknowingly been compromised, so be careful.

Secure your personal information

Before providing any personal information, such as your date of birth, Social Security number, account numbers, and passwords, be sure the website is secure.

Stay informed on the latest cyber threats

Keep yourself up to date on current scams by visiting this website daily.

Use Strong Passwords

Strong passwords are critical to online security.

Keep your software up to date and maintain preventative software programs

Keep all of your software applications up to date on your computers and mobile devices. Install software that provides antivirus, firewall, and email filter services.

Update the operating systems on your electronic devices

Make sure your operating systems (OSs) and applications are up to date on all of your electronic devices. Older and unpatched versions of OSs and software are the target of many hacks. Read the CISA security tip on Understanding Patches and Software Updates for more information.

What if You Got Scammed?

Stop Contact With The Scammer

Hang up the phone. Do not reply to emails, messages, or letters that the scammer sends. Do not make any more payments to the scammer. Beware of additional scammers who may contact you claiming they can help you get your lost money back.

Secure Your Finances

  • Report potentially compromised bank account, credit or debit card information to your financial institution(s) immediately. They may be able to cancel or reverse fraudulent transactions.
  • Notify the three major credit bureaus. They can add a fraud alert to warn potential credit grantors that you may be a victim of identity theft. You may also want to consider placing a free security freeze on your credit report. Doing so prevents lenders and others from accessing your credit report entirely, which will prevent them from extending credit:

Check Your Computer

If your computer was accessed or otherwise affected by a scam, check to make sure that your anti-virus is up-to-date and running and that your system is free of malware and keylogging software. You may also need to seek the help of a computer repair company. Consider utilizing the Better Business Bureau’s website to find a reputable company.

Change Your Account Passwords

Update your bank, credit card, social media, and email account passwords to try to limit further unauthorized access. Make sure to choose strong passwords when changing account passwords.

Report The Scam

Reporting helps protect others. While agencies can’t always track down perpetrators of crimes against scammers, they can utilize the information gathered to record patterns of abuse which may lead to action being taken against a company or industry.

Report your issue to the following agencies based on the nature of the scam:

  • Local Law Enforcement: Consumers are encouraged to report scams to their local police department or sheriff’s office, especially if you lost money or property or had your identity compromised.
  • Federal Trade Commission: Contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357) or use the Online Complaint Assistant to report various types of fraud, including counterfeit checks, lottery or sweepstakes scams, and more.
  • Identitytheft.gov: If someone is using your personal information, like your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number, to open new accounts, make purchases, or get a tax refund, report it at www.identitytheft.gov. This federal government site will also help you create your Identity Theft Report and a personal recovery plan based on your situation. Questions can be directed to 877-ID THEFT.

How To Recognize a Phishing Scam

Scammers use email or text messages to try to steal your passwords, account numbers, or Social Security numbers. If they get that information, they could get access to your email, bank, or other accounts. Or they could sell your information to other scammers. Scammers launch thousands of phishing attacks like these every day — and they’re often successful.

Scammers often update their tactics to keep up with the latest news or trends, but here are some common tactics used in phishing emails or text messages:

Phishing emails and text messages often tell a story to trick you into clicking on a link or opening an attachment. You might get an unexpected email or text message that looks like it’s from a company you know or trust, like a bank or a credit card or utility company. Or maybe it’s from an online payment website or app. The message could be from a scammer, who might

  • say they’ve noticed some suspicious activity or log-in attempts — they haven’t
  • claim there’s a problem with your account or your payment information — there isn’t
  • say you need to confirm some personal or financial information — you don’t
  • include an invoice you don’t recognize — it’s fake
  • want you to click on a link to make a payment — but the link has malware
  • say you’re eligible to register for a government refund — it’s a scam
  • offer a coupon for free stuff — it’s not real

About Online Threat Alerts (OTA)

Online Threat Alerts or OTA is an anti-cybercrime community that started in 2012. OTA alerts the public to cyber crimes and other web threats.

By alerting the public, we have prevented a lot of online users from getting scammed or becoming victims of cybercrimes.

With the ever-increasing number of people going online, it important to have a community like OTA that continuously alerts or protects those same people from cyber-criminals, scammers and hackers, who are every day finding new ways of carrying out their malicious activities.

Online users can help by reporting suspicious or malicious messages or websites to OTA. And, if they want to determine if a message or website is a threat or scam, they can use OTA's search engine to search for the website or parts of the message for information.

Help maintain Online Threat Alerts (OTA).

The 8 Most Important Ways to Improve Your Cybersecurity Strategy