Best Cyber Security Practices

Companies spend millions guarding against external threats, but often ignore internal threats that can be more devastating. Policies and permissions should be established for all who work at the company, from the c-suite to contract workers and third party vendors.

The careless work habits of executives in particular are putting companies at risk. Research reveals, for example, that more than 30 percent of U.S. board members are using a free email service provider to conduct board level business. Given the highly sensitive information often handled by the board, secure technology is necessary to protect confidential information and conversations. The right tool can help manage data securely, control access and authorization, and assist in compliance reporting.

To guard against human error, employees must know and be accountable for following company protocols. It’s inevitable that employees are going to use personal devices for work purposes, so establish revised BYOD policies that takes this into account. Be clear on what devices/actions are allowed, what is prohibited, and clearly outline consequences for violations of policy.

It’s important that education and training be ongoing. Keep in mind the variety of devices out there and take measures that address as many of them as possible, starting with the most popular.

Breaches and hacking can originate from any place in the organization. Thus it’s essential that companies take a close look within individual business lines to determine which solutions will be most effective in mitigating their major risks.