It is thought that some 2 million pieces of malware are created every week and a cyberattack occurs every 39 seconds. Globally, 30,000 websites are breached every day.
Hackers pose one of the biggest threats to business continuity in the digital age. Cybercrime is so prevalent that four out of five senior executives in the UK class cybersecurity as a ‘very high’ or ‘fairly high’ priority.
The risk of a data breach is even higher for companies that deploy remote workers – either full-time or as part of a hybrid working model. In March 2024, it was reported that work-from-employees are the primary target for hackers.
Because home networks are not generally as secure as business networks, work-from-home employees are considered easier prey. Once hackers infiltrate an employee’s device, they are only a few steps away from breaching your business network and stealing your data or finances.
Moving forward, businesses will need to ensure that strict cybersecurity protocols are adhered to company-wide. And given employees are responsible for 95% of data breaches, ongoing cybersecurity awareness training should be an ongoing strategy.
Fortunately, cybersecurity solutions do a fairly good job of keeping hackers at bay – providing you implement effective solutions and follow the protocols. Here are 3 tips that will help you to protect your business network.
Update Software
Source: proofpoint.com
When software is released into the market, it will eventually develop vulnerabilities. Software companies spend millions of pounds looking for potential gateways that could be exploited by hackers.
When a security issue is identified, the software company releases a “patch” – a piece of code which closes the gateway. However, before the security patch provides a defence, it is your responsibility to perform an update and download the latest version of the software onto your desktop computer and mobile devices.
Educate Staff
According to some reports, 95% of data breaches are caused by human error. Typical causes are employees downloading a file infected with malware, clicking on a malicious link or misconfiguration cloud software programs.
Informing your workforce about the dangers of cyber threats plays a key role in ensuring your business network stays protected. Make sure your staff is aware of the various techniques hackers use so they know the red flags to look out for.
Install A Virtual Desktop
Source: uploadvr.com
A virtual desktop mimics your business network and allows employees to navigate the system and even access the apps and files they need. For all intents and purposes, it looks and feels like your business network to your employees.
However, they’re not actually on your network, they’re in a replica of your network. Therefore, virtual desktops provide a safe environment for remote workers to access.
Malware, on the other hand, relies on a host to exploit. When you install a virtual desktop, you effectively isolate apps and files so that malicious code cannot interact with them – and therefore can not perform whatever task the malware is programmed to perform.
Cybercrime is something that we have to live with, but with the right tools and knowledge, cyberattacks can be thwarted. Make sure your business network stays protected by implementing the right solutions.
