2017 was a definitive year for cyber security, some could say it was the year that propelled cyber security into the mainstream with attacks on the NHS and a spate of high profile companies worldwide attacked.
Going into 2018, these types of attacks aren’t likely to stop. However, we expect them to become more complex due to technological advances, which could see them become ever more present in our day to day lives. With that in mind, we think it’s a good idea to kick off the new year with some cyber security resolutions that will help you stay safe this year.
Make Sure you are GDPR Ready
The introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in May 2018 has been designed with the intention of making people’s personal data safe. You should have a resolution in place that means you and your organisation review what personal data you hold and the methods you take to secure such data. Further to this, you should start the new year with robust incident management procedures in place that allow you to report and investigate any data breaches in a timely manner. We are running a series of GDPR roadshows around Europe designed to give practical and actionable advice to attendees regardless of whatever stage of their GDPR journey they are on. You can register here.
Keeping Your Smart Devices Secure
As we mentioned towards the end of last year, the continued penetration of smart devices in our day to day lives means that we are going to be more susceptible to cyber security threats by these means in the new year. IoT brings with it a greater level of productivity both at home and in the workplace giving people flexibility in many aspects of their lives. However, with this comes an increased threat as seen with the Mirai botnet attack in 2016 that brought down sites like Netflix and Twitter. As a New Year’s resolution, it’s important to secure these devices. You can do this by ensuring that all your connected devices have the basic security requirements covered such as changing the default password and installing software updates regularly.
Security Awareness Training
As mentioned above, 2017 was significant for the many high profile cyber security attacks it had. New ransomware attacks, huge data leaks for high profile companies and advanced malware attacks were just some of the trends from last year likely continue into this one. Much of this mayhem was caused by phishing attacks and with that comes the need to raise security awareness. If you haven’t already, you and your organisation need to get into the habit of testing your user’s ability to detect malicious emails and links.
Make 2018 the End of Your Traditional Passwords
Traditional passwords have always been a poor way of protecting your organisations most valuable assets. In 2018, you should implement better password protection procedures. Two-step authentication is becoming the new norm and multi-factor authentication can help your organisation add extra layers of security. Due to the emergence of multi-factor authentication, it’s very important for your mobile phone to be protected as this will often be used in your multi-step authentication process.
What resolutions do you have in place for your cyber safety this year? Let us know in the comments below.
