Search This Blog

Powered by Blogger.

Blog Archive

Labels

Showing posts with label Cyber Hygiene. Show all posts

Everything You Need to Know About Cyber hygiene

Cyber hygiene involves the set of practices and actions performed by computer users to preserve the well-being of their systems and enhance online security. Similar to maintaining physical cleanliness, cyber hygiene is a regular routine aimed at safeguarding personal information and preventing unauthorized access or data corruption. 

By proactively taking these measures, individuals can protect their identities and mitigate common online risks, ensuring the overall health of their digital presence. The concept of cyber hygiene revolves around developing positive cybersecurity habits to proactively address and stay ahead of cyber threats and online security concerns. 

Drawing parallels to personal hygiene, cyber hygiene entails precautionary actions performed on a regular basis to uphold the overall health and well-being of one's digital environment. By prioritizing cyber hygiene, individuals aim to preserve the fundamental integrity and security of their hardware and software, effectively shielding them from potential dangers such as malware. 

Consistently practicing cyber hygiene plays a vital role in ensuring the safety and protection of data. Similar to establishing any habit, incorporating cyber hygiene into one's routine requires regularity and repetition. 

Cyber hygiene is specifically designed to tackle various issues, including: 

Security breaches: Cyber hygiene addresses the risks posed by hackers, phishing attempts, malware infections, and viruses that can compromise the security of digital systems. 

Data loss: Insufficient backup measures for hard drives and online cloud storage can expose data to hacking, corruption, or other problems, potentially leading to irreversible data loss. 

Outdated software: Cyber hygiene emphasizes the importance of keeping software up to date, as outdated versions can create vulnerabilities that make devices more susceptible to online attacks.

Antivirus software: Regularly updating antivirus software is crucial for effective protection against the latest cyber threats. Cyber hygiene emphasizes the significance of keeping security software current to maximize its effectiveness. 

To maintain effective cyber hygiene, establish a comprehensive policy communicated to all network users. Key elements include: 

Password Management: Regularly change complex passwords for security. 

Software Updates: Keep software up to date to address vulnerabilities. 

Hardware Maintenance: Regularly assess and update devices for optimal performance. 

Installation Management: Properly document and track software and hardware additions. 

User Access Controls: Grant admin-level access only to authorized individuals. 

Data Backup: Regularly back up data to secondary sources for protection. 

Cyber Security Frameworks: Consider adopting established frameworks for enhanced security. 

Neglecting cyber hygiene can result in security incidents, data compromise, and loss. The impact includes financial loss, penalties, operational disruption, reputational damage, and legal consequences.

Zero Trust & Basic Cyber Hygiene: Best Defense Against Third-Party Attacks

 

Since the beginning of the year, there has been a slew of third-party cybersecurity attacks, with the repercussions affecting a number of companies in Singapore and across Asia. 

Personal information of 30,000 Singaporeans could have been unlawfully accessed last month as a result of a violation that targeted a third-party vendor of the Jobs and Employability Institute, a job-matching organization (e2i). The personal information of 580,000 Singapore Airlines frequent flyers and 129,000 Singtel customers was also compromised earlier this year due to third-party security breaches. 

A zero confidence architecture, according to Acronis CEO Serguei Beloussov, may have avoided third-party attacks like those involving Accellion and SIA. In terms of how supply chains are secured, he said, security policies should be enforced and followed. He emphasized the importance of monitoring and controlling as well as performing vulnerability assessment and penetration testing should be carried out. 

Kevin Reed, Acronis' chief information security officer (CISO), said that companies must be aware of who and what is accessing their data. This meant they'd have to evaluate their partners' trustworthiness on a regular basis, rather than only when a new contract was signed, he explained. 

To limit the risks of engaging with these suppliers, Finkelstein recommends questions should be asked about security measures they had put in place and whether connections with these suppliers were secured. According to Reed, prevention would be crucial. Since the majority of security threats today are opportunistic, he believes that organizations would be able to thwart the majority of them if they take preventative steps to reduce their chances of being hacked. 

The way to mitigate the risk to businesses is by adopting better data management and replacing old technology. Beloussov said it concisely: "Nothing that is more than a few years old is healthy. It is possible to penetrate a structure constructed 20 years ago. You have to constantly check and update the system. 

CyberGRX's CISO Dave Stapleton pointed to the attack on SITA, whose effect on some airlines could be comparatively small due to the types of data exchanged. This may mean good data management practices such as data segmentation and categorization, in which not all pieces of information are stored in the same database and data access is limited to particular functions. 

According to Reed, the security industry too had evolved over time, And, he added, with today's programming compilers and frameworks, the software is more stable, with security built-in by design.