Is My Business Cyber Secure?

In the digital age we live in, the question "Is my business cyber secure?" is one of the most important an entrepreneur can ask. Cyber safety is no longer a given, and cybercriminals are in abundant supply. Hackers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and the damage a cyberattack can cause is often enormous — both financially and in terms of reputation.

But how do you know if your business is actually cyber secure? In this blog, we discuss a number of essential steps to assess and improve your business's cyber security.

1. Do you think about cyber security and the necessary measures?

A detailed and well-documented security policy is the first step toward cyber security. This policy should clearly state how company data is secured, what measures have been taken to minimize risks, and what happens in the event of a cyber incident. It's important that this policy is regularly updated and adjusted to new threats.

The goal of the policy shouldn't be to come up with all sorts of rules. It's about your organization thinking through the possible cyber risks and the consequences of a cyberattack.

Ask yourself:

• What cyber risks exist for our organization? (also take a look at the Digital Trust Center website)
• Do we regularly review the risks and the cyber security measures we take?
• Are employees aware of the risks and the policy in place?

For this last point, we can of course support you with a cyber security awareness training!

2. Are your software and systems up to date?

A large proportion of cyberattacks exploit vulnerabilities in outdated software. It's essential to make sure all systems, applications and antivirus programs are always up to date. Regular software updates often close important security gaps that hackers could use to gain access to your systems.

Check whether:

• Your business has enabled automatic updates for all important software.
• Patches are regularly installed for both operating systems and business applications.
• Your antivirus and anti-malware programs are always up to date.

These are a few simple questions you can ask your IT manager or IT partner.

3. How strong is your password policy?

A weak password policy can be a direct invitation to cybercriminals. Strong passwords are often the first line of defense against unauthorized access. We often get asked directly: what's a strong password? That's why we wrote a blog about creating strong passwords.

As an employer, you want to make sure employees not only use unique, complex passwords, but also update them regularly and add an extra lock to the digital door. This last part happens, for example, via multi-factor authentication, where an extra code or additional step is needed to access the system. At Tozetta, we've written a detailed article about a strong password policy that covers this in more depth.

Finally, we want to mention that a "leaked credentials" investigation can provide relevant insights. Through this investigation, Tozetta can identify passwords that can be linked to your organization. The list of leaked passwords can then be blacklisted, so employees can't use leaked passwords or variations of them.

4. Are you prepared for phishing attacks?

Phishing is one of the most common ways cybercriminals try to gain access to company data. This happens via emails that appear to come from trustworthy sources, but are actually designed to steal sensitive information or spread malware.

Ask yourself:

• Are your employees regularly trained to recognize phishing attempts?
• Is there a clear procedure for reporting suspicious emails?
• Are there technical measures, such as email filters, to detect and block phishing attempts?

5. Is there an incident response plan?

Even with the best security measures, it's possible your business will fall victim to a cyberattack at some point. That's why a detailed incident response plan is crucial. This plan should describe the steps to be taken in the event of a cyberattack, including restoring systems, communicating with those involved, and limiting damage.

Ask yourself:

• Has a team been assigned that's responsible for incident management?
• Are clear steps defined for handling different types of cyberattacks?
• Is there a process for regular exercises and simulations of cyber incidents?

The Digital Trust Center has a lot of information about drawing up an incident response plan.

6. How do you protect sensitive company data?

Company data, especially customer data and financial information, is often the primary target of cybercriminals. It's important to properly encrypt sensitive data and only make it accessible to those who genuinely need it.

Make sure you:

• Encrypt data, both at rest and in transit.

• Have restrictions on who has access to sensitive information.

• Regularly back up important data and ensure it's stored securely.

How do I improve my business's cyber security?

Cyber security is a continuous process that requires regular evaluation and improvement. By considering the steps above, you've taken the first steps toward improved cyber security for your organization!

After you've thought through the current state of your digital resilience yourself, you as an organization may run into the question:

***How cyber secure is my organization, really? ***

This is often the moment when Tozetta can help. At Tozetta, we specialize in ethical hacking. Drawing on our knowledge and expertise, we can simulate an actual cyberattack in order to expose vulnerabilities in software and systems. The findings are reported, allowing you to take the necessary measures.

Curious about a pentest? Read more here about carrying out a pentest!