So, what type of measures shall companies apply to ensure they are safe against cyber-attacks?

The first and foremost measure is the use of a firewall. Setting up a firewall will create a barrier between the companies’ data and cybercriminals. It is important to apply externals and internals firewalls. In case the employees are working from home, companies must provide them with firewall software and support for home networks to ensure they are compliant with the business protocols. It is also essential for businesses to install anti-malware software on all devices that access the network, to prevent any phishing attack.

Businesses should also have a vast set of documentation detailing their cybersecurity policies and procedures, checklists and best practices. This will ensure that all business areas are applying the cybersecurity measures in a standard and correct way. With regards to mobile devices, smart watches and fitness trackers, companies must also define standard guidelines for their usage by the employees and also set up automatic security updates and enforce the company’s password policy in all the devices accessing the network.

Training the staff is also a crucial measure to prevent digital attacks. Employees must be trained on cybersecurity best practices and security policies, and they must be familiar with any updates or new protocols. Employees must sign a sheet confirming they have read and understood the policies.

Companies must also enforce a safe password practice. Every device accessing the company’s network must be password protected. The password must contain uppercase, lower cases, numbers and symbols and must be changed every 60 to 90 days. Also, setting-up a multifactor authentication is a best practice as it provides an extra layer of protection.

Whilst applying all these measures will help prevent as many attacks as possible, a company can still be breached. Hence, it is very important to regularly back-up all company data, and also store it in the cloud. The back-ups must be checked frequently to ensure they are functioning correctly. If companies apply this measure, even if they suffer a breach, their operation can continue as normal, which will reduce and limit the losses for the business.