Cyber criminals have evolved sophisticated techniques to steal data and gain access. Anyone who uses the net is vulnerable and if adequate precautions are not taken, the chances are, an attack will happen sooner rather than later. Since prevention is better than a cure, effective security steps, taken in advance, will help thwart the nefarious designs of cyber criminals.
Though there are numerous products available in the market to protect systems, the thinking in a majority of cases is reactive rather than pro-active line of defense. For a pro-active cyber security we must have a trustworthy computing system to work with, one which offers protection from even the most virulent cyber attacks. With such a system in place, half the battle is already won.
Do’s & Don’ts in Cyber Security:
Do’s:
- Research how cyber criminals attack networks and take effective steps to stop such attacks
- Check the national vulnerability database and see if your systems are prone to attack
- Get an independent assessment of the security assurance of the technology to be implemented. Use the international standard ISO/IEC 15408 to find the specific levels of security assurance of each equipment being used
- Use products that are rated EAL 6+ which gives a very high level of security
- Use data encryption techniques wherever possible
- Create digital security awareness among the staff. Impart sufficient training so that they will be able to detect suspicious activity
Don’ts:
- Do not waste time and money adding filters and firewalls to insecure platforms. They will be useless against a cyber attack. In fact, cyber criminals will not only be able to hack into the system, they may also be able to cover their tracks effectively. You will be none the wiser.
- Take steps against phishing.
- Do not permit the use of simple passwords such as “1234” or “Password” etc.
- Employees should be warned against revealing passwords across a network.
- Do not reply to an e mail which looks suspicious.
- Log out of accounts before closing browser windows. The window should not be closed before logging out of accounts or different sets of passwords should be used to access different accounts.
Where cyber security is concerned, do not hesitate to seek the help of a cyber security expert or an organization which specializes in cyber security. Only use trustworthy equipment and software. In the long run, such steps will pay for itself many times over.