Strong Cyber Security – Athreon’s Winning Recipe!

What’s your go-to comfort food? Is it apple pie? Maybe ice cream? Perhaps you’re a mac and cheese or burger and fries type of person? Most of us enjoy some kind of food that makes us feel good. Of course, balancing comfort foods with healthy options is essential. We shouldn’t skip on the leafy greens, fresh fruits, and veggies.

Today we’ll recommend another recipe that isn’t a staple in your kitchen but can leave you feeling satisfied. We’re talking about a healthy portion of cyber security! Granted, it’s not satisfying in the way many of us enjoy our favorite foods. Think of cyber security more like health food you make room for because it’s good for you.

So, in the spirit of good cyber health and Cyber Security Awareness Month, let’s quickly review the ingredients you’ll need and the steps you should take for a well-rounded cyber security plan.

Ingredients:

• Any PC, mobile device, laptop, or other device that connects to the Internet
• 1 Ongoing employee training program
• 1 Password manager
• 1 Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• 1 Dark Web monitoring service
• 1 Virtual private network (VPN)
• 1 Spam filter
• 1 Antivirus program
• 1 Data breach strategy

Steps:

• Stay Informed. Weekly, take a few minutes to stay abreast of the latest cybersecurity news so that you won’t fall into a hacker’s trap. Also, take a deeper dive, at least annually, and educate your staff about the ongoing cyber threats.
• Make Sure Your Passwords and Passphrases Are Strong. They should be extra-long, complex, and unique. Never recycle a password between accounts. HINT: Use a password manager, so you only need to memorize one strong password.
• Activate Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA). Wherever activated, MFA will require potential hackers to provide another form of ID (like clicking a button on your cell phone or some form of biometric, like a fingerprint) to access your accounts.
• Do Your Dark Web Monitoring. If your Dark Web scanning shows that your password, username, or email is on the Dark Web, it means cybercriminals may use it to attempt to break into your accounts. Change compromised passwords immediately!
• Use a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Use your VPN whenever you want to connect your laptop or mobile device to public Wi-Fi. Cybercriminals exploit public Wi-Fi to try to break into your devices and infect them with malware. Using a VPN prevents this.

If you decide to follow our recipe for cyber security, let us know how it goes. See any ways to build upon it? We’d love to know, so leave a comment below. Perhaps you have your own recipe for strong cyber security. If you’re still wondering, “How do I train my employees for cyber security?” contact us. We’ll be delighted to help you bolster your defenses. Bon Appetit!