October is celebrated worldwide as Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time to refocus our attention on safeguarding digital assets and promoting cybersecurity best practices.

In this blog, we look at nine important things that businesses can do during Cybersecurity Awareness Month to enhance their cyber defences and foster a safer digital environment.

Conduct a Cybersecurity Discovery Assessment

Start the month by performing a thorough cybersecurity risk assessment. Identify your most valuable and sensitive assets - such as data, systems, and networks - and evaluate potential threats and vulnerabilities that could compromise them. Click here to learn more about BMIT Cybersecurity Discovery tool.

Introduce or revisit basic cybersecurity practices

Everyone in your business should understand the importance of basic cybersecurity hygiene. This includes using strong and unique passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, keeping software and devices up to date, regularly backing up data, encrypting data both in transit and at rest, and being careful when opening emails or attachments.

Educate employees on cybersecurity best practices:

Most security breaches are the result of human error. In many cases, providing comprehensive cybersecurity training can greatly reduce the risk of a breach or cyber-attack. Educate them about various threats, such as phishing, ransomware, malware, social engineering, and data protection. See how BMIT can help you boost your first line of defence.

Cybersecurity policy and Incident Response plan

Having a robust and updated cybersecurity policy that outlines rules and guidelines for your business is paramount and it should cover key areas such as access control, password management, data classification, encryption, remote work, and third-party vendor management. You should also have a detailed incident response plan to ensure your team knows exactly what to do in case of a cyber-attack or breach.

Are your defences in good shape?

Configurations and baselines created a year or more ago may prove useless if your business is a target. Use this month to audit and assess your cybersecurity controls and processes. For example, have you implemented multi-factor authentication company-wide? Do you adopt a Zero Trust model? Is Shadow IT an issue for your business? Conduct tests to gauge the effectiveness of your security measures and identify areas for improvement. Is penetration testing something worth investing in?

Invest in cybersecurity tools and solutions

Depending on your business’s needs and budget, you need to invest in basic cybersecurity solutions. Are you filtering traffic, do you have VPNs for your remote workers, email security to filter spam, malware and myriad threats, intrusion detection on your network or hosts? What about vulnerability management? How do you manage employee devices on the network? Do you have a solution in place? Data leakage protection is another area you should be looking into.

Do you need help?

Not every business has the resources to manage cybersecurity in-house or the skillset to implement so many solutions. You may not have the security expertise either. In that case, you need an IT partner, an organisation that can help design, implement and manage your security needs. Unless you have the budget and resources for an internal team of experts, working with a managed service provider (MSP) should be at the top of your list. Don’t skimp on security!

Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility

Cybersecurity is not just a technical concern but a cultural one. Encourage a shared responsibility for security from top management to frontline staff. Help your employees understand their role in defending the business.

Install and forget does not work with cybersecurity

With the volume and sophistication of cyber threats evolving constantly, your policies and strategy need to be updated regularly. Just as your business strategy and goals change, you need to align your cybersecurity strategy with those changes, it must address current risks, incorporate the latest technologies and best practices, and address any gaps that may arise.

Secure Your Digital Future with BMIT

October's Cybersecurity Awareness Month brings to the forefront the ever-growing threats in our digital world. From human lapses to intricate cyber-attacks, the risks are real and on the rise.

Don't wait for a cyber incident to dictate your next move. Prioritise cybersecurity today. With our experience, tools, and customised approach you can ensure your business stays resilient and secure. Together with our team of experts you can navigate the complexities of cybersecurity with confidence, knowing that your valuable assets are protected!

Secure your business today, fill in the form below to get started.