The main reason why so many security systems get hacked is because of poor protection protocols or the complete lack of online safety policies. It is your duty as a member, or the owner of a business, to ensure that the company you are involved with is completely free of vulnerabilities that might be the cause of future cybersecurity industries. However, in order to fix all potential flaws and make your security system bulletproof, you first have to be able to recognize the vulnerabilities within the company.
Recognize the Main Vulnerability in Your Business
When you think of security vulnerabilities, you probably think of out-of-date anti-virus programs or plain credentials with weak passwords. While these are accurate examples of security vulnerabilities, they are not the largest threat to your business. What many people don’t know is that the biggest security threat for any company are its employees. The more people are employed in the company, the more opportunities there are for hackers to open the door to confidential files and sensitive data. Here are a few reasons why employees are the biggest weakness in any business:
- Lack of education - Many companies fail to educate their employees on the importance of cybersecurity and protection. Without the proper education on the topic, the employees are clueless as to what kind of damage they can cause by doing simple things such as signing up to random websites or leaving their USB drives unattended.
- Human curiosity – People are naturally curious and bound to open links and files that possibly come from malicious sources. This kind of curiosity combined with the lack of education can create chaos, especially if an employee ends up unknowingly downloading a malware and giving hackers direct access to all company’s data.
- Remote workers – People also love working remotely and they look for remote work every chance they get. However, employees who get their work done outside the office can be a major threat to your business. Most of them like to take their laptops to coffee shops to get work done in different environments. That means they are most likely going to connect to public networks and leave company’s data and credentials unprotected
Prevent Other Vulnerabilities
Now that you know that employees are the biggest threat for your business, you have to take a step toward the solution of the problem. Make sure to create a cybersecurity policy or guideline that will help all employees stay on the same page regarding cybersecurity measures. It is recommended to start holding cybersecurity meetings covering related topics to keep the employees up to date on recent security-related events.
Besides educating your employees, you can patch up the vulnerabilities in the company’s security system by complying to the NIST Framework, which features detailed guidelines focused on improving online security. The framework includes guidelines and regulations for all security processes, from recognition and identification of threats to protection, response, and recovery processes. On top of that, make sure to use a virtual private network and suggest to your employees to start using it as well!
Conclusion
Every business has a major vulnerability that can easily be exploited by hackers. Unfortunately, not every company notices this vulnerability in time. No one looks at the employees as a possible security threat. After all, they are playing on the company’s team. However, it is their lack of knowledge about cybersecurity that can cost your company thousands of dollars. Therefore, make sure to educate your employees on cybersecurity measures and start complying to the NIST framework. A VPN can also be a good addition to your overall security system.
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