3 Critical Steps on How to Avoid Cyber Attacks

There is no business that is exempt from being targeted by a cyber attack. We often hear about large enterprise industries as the victims of a data breach and often assume that they are the primary targets. But cyber attacks target the entire spectrum of companies across all industries. 

The underlying motivation for a cyber attack can vary drastically and can be anything from financial, ideological, political motives, or simply for the challenge. Therefore, leaders must implement effective cyber security strategies and the relevant solutions  to safeguard against these threats. 

3 Steps to Avoid Cyber Attacks

These are 3 critical steps to avoiding significant losses from a cyber attack.

1. Identify your vulnerable points
2. Identify potential Employee risk
3. Act fast
   

Step 1: Identify Your Vulnerable Points

The first step in fortifying your organization against cyber attacks is to identify the vulnerable points within your computer network. Often, it's challenging to detect these weaknesses internally, as familiarity with the system can lead to oversight. However, for cybercriminals, these vulnerabilities are like open doors, offering easy access to your network.

To address this, consider the following strategies:

• Conduct Regular Audits
• Use Vulnerability Scanners
• Implement Intrusion Detection Systems
• Hire External Expertise
• Identify Diverse Vulnerabilities

By understanding and addressing these potential weak spots, you set the foundation for a robust cyber defense strategy, crucial in the increasingly digital landscape of today’s world.

In enhancing cyber security, Aftra's vulnerability scanning technology offers a practical solution. Its ability to efficiently identify and prioritize network weaknesses aids in more effective and timely cyber security measures. With Aftra, organizations gain a valuable tool for maintaining continuous network security vigilance, supporting a more resilient and proactive defense against cyber threats.

Step 2: Identify potential Employee risk

In the fight against cyber threats, recognizing and mitigating risks posed by employees is a critical step. Employees can inadvertently become security risks due to a variety of factors. Identifying these risks and educating your team is key to bolstering your company's cyber security. 

Consider the following aspects:

• General Knowledge and Awareness: Assess employee awareness of cyber security; limited knowledge can lead to risks like phishing susceptibility.
• Access Levels: Evaluate employee access to data and systems; untrained individuals with high access are higher risk.
• Computer Literacy: Gauge staff's tech skills; lower literacy can increase vulnerability to cyber scams.
• Training and Awareness: Conduct regular cyber security training to keep staff updated on threats and safe practices.
• Monitoring and Response: Implement systems for activity monitoring and establish a clear incident response plan.
  

To combat this risk, Aftra offers security campaigns, as well as employee risk scoring. Employee risk scoring is a feature that assesses each employee's potential risk to the organization, identifying those more susceptible to threats like phishing attacks while considering the impact or severity of that particular employee. The impact is calculated based on the employee's seniority and access levels to systems. The greater the access levels, the higher the potential impact and risk associated with the employee. This allows for more effective and targeted cybersecurity training and prevention strategies.

Step 3: Act Fast

Speed is crucial when dealing with a cyber attack. A swift response can greatly reduce the impact and prevent further damage. In the event of a network breach, consider the following immediate actions:

• Immediate Incident Identification: Quickly identify and confirm the breach to understand the scope and impact.
• Containment Measures: Isolate affected systems to prevent the spread of the attack.
• Activate Response Plan: Implement your pre-defined incident response plan, which should include steps for communication, containment, and recovery.
• Engage Cyber security Experts: if needed
• Post-Incident Analysis: After addressing the immediate threat, conduct a thorough analysis to understand the cause and improve future defenses.

Aftra enhances this step with its robust incident response capabilities, offering rapid and effective response to cyber attacks. Additionally, Aftra's continuous 24/7 monitoring, centralized management, and detailed reporting ensure comprehensive protection and easy oversight of your organization's security posture, helping to swiftly address and mitigate any threats.

Conclusion — Cyber security made easy

Whether your business is e-commerce, if you’re a financial institution, or even a library, if you store customer data of any kind, then you are at risk of a cyberattack and need to take steps to protect yourself. 

To enhance network security, it's crucial to adopt a proactive approach. This involves regularly updating and patching software to address vulnerabilities, enforcing strong password policies, and securing network access points. Educating staff on cyber security best practices is also key, as human error is a common cause of breaches. Additionally, implementing consistent data backups and a solid disaster recovery plan is essential in building a resilient cyber defense.

Aftra is a comprehensive cyber security solution that can help you to reduce your risk of being hacked and give you the peace of mind that your organization is well-protected and prepared to face the ever-changing threat landscape. Our services include vulnerability scanning, Employee Risk Scoring, 24/7/365 monitoring for fast Incident Response, Centralized Management and Reporting.