October is National Cybersecurity Month, and what better way to celebrate it than to see how your own cybersecurity strategies stand up against threats! Focusing on the basics first will create a great first line of defense, and ensuring you and your employees are practicing the best cybersecurity habits will work to keep threats out and sensitive data in.
We put together a 5-question quiz to help you quickly analyze your company’s basic cybersecurity practices and see how you stack up. How will you do? And if your score is lower than you expect, don’t worry. Working with a team that provides cybersecurity services can help you ace the next pop quiz.
Use This Cybersecurity Checklist To Go Beyond the Basics
Will You Get a 5/5 on This Basic Cybersecurity Quiz?
Here are five questions to help you assess your basic cybersecurity procedures, policies, and practices. Be sure to answer each one with a “yes” or a “no,” and keep score to see where your strategy needs assistance with cybersecurity solutions going forward.
1. Are You Using Strong Passwords?
Passwords should never be your name, your birth date, pets’ names, or “Password123!” Long, unique, and complex passwords are the best option for keeping your accounts and data secure. This means your passwords should:
- Have at least 12 characters
- Not be reused elsewhere
- Be changed regularly
- Have a combination of upper and lower case letters, special characters, and numbers
2. Are You Using a Password Manager?
Tracking those complex and unique passwords can be difficult but writing them down on a notepad or a Google Doc can be dangerous. Using a password manager instead can help you track your passwords securely. This software can even help you create those unique passwords for every account and alert you if a password or account has been compromised.
3. Is Multifactor Authentication Turned On?
Multifactor authentication helps businesses and individuals in three ways. First, if you forget your password, you can get an email, phone call, or text that helps give you access to your account.
Second, it sets up another layer of security. When you log into an account, the company will reach out to you with a code that you need to use in addition to your password. This means, even if the hacker knows your password, they still won’t be able to access your account without that multifactor authentication code!
Third, if an unauthorized user tries to log into your account, you’ll get an alert!
4. Can Your Team Recognize Phishing Attempts?
Phishing refers to when cybercriminals use direct messages, emails, or other methods of communication to trick the recipient into clicking on a compromised link or downloading a malicious file. These tactics, when successful, can result in stolen accounts, stolen funds, ransomware, and other cybersecurity breaches.
And not all phishing attempts are obvious. The signs can be subtle, so teams need to know how to recognize even sophisticated attempts and how to report them to your cybersecurity services team.
5. Do You Regularly Update Your Software?
It can be easy to click the “later” option when it comes to updating software, but doing so holds doors open for cyberthreats. Companies regularly patch their software to keep their products and solutions secure. Updating your computers, software, hardware, and mobile devices is one of the easiest steps you can take to secure your work and data – the process can even be automated!
6. Do You Minimize Global Admin Privileges?
Sticking to a simple rule can make all the difference: only give each task, process, or user the bare minimum permissions they need to get their job done. By consistently following this guideline, you’re setting up a safety net. If something goes wrong or a breach occurs, the potential harm is kept in check because the affected area has only limited access.
A common oversight in many businesses is the tendency to assign these permissions to a wide array of individuals. This can unintentionally open the door to greater risks if one of these accounts gets hacked. So, always be judicious and careful when determining who gets what access – it’s an easy step to take for added security!
7. Do You Have End Point Detection and Response Solutions Deployed?
Don’t underestimate the sneakiness of cyber attackers! Cybercriminals utilize advanced methods like hidden scripts and command-line tactics to evade robust endpoint protections. Their techniques can be stealthy, often going unnoticed. Using endpoint detection and response tools is vital, as they monitor the security integrity of devices such as laptops and smartphones, providing a crucial shield against these sophisticated threats.
How Did You Score?
Now it’s time to tally up your results! Here’s a quick guide to help you determine how well you did.
4 or More “Yes’s”
Congratulations! You have the basics of cybersecurity down. By embracing these simple steps, you are setting up your first line of defense against cybercriminals, phishing attempts, and ransomware.
3 “Yes’s”
You’re on the right track, but your cybersecurity strategy is missing some must-have elements. At Nortec, we offer security awareness training to fill the gaps in your plan.
1 “Yes”
Your business may be exposed or even under threat at this very moment. It’s important to take action fast to close the doors in cybercriminals’ faces. Now is the time to implement the best cybersecurity practices and habits, not later. Working with an experienced cybersecurity team can get your procedures up to speed.
Stay on Top of the Latest Cybersecurity Threats With Tips From Nortec – Sign Up Here
Get a Higher Score With Cybersecurity Services
These cybersecurity basics are THE place to start when it comes to securing and protecting your customers, data, profits, employees, and entire business. Now that you know how you scored on the basic cybersecurity quiz, you can work on studying to get a better score next time.
Of course, there is more to cybersecurity than these basic steps, and even a strong first line of defense can be broken. Working with a team that offers cybersecurity services, training, and solutions can help ensure that that first line, your second line, and other lines of defense are ready to tackle any threats that come your way. Nortec offers the resources and solutions that can bolster your company’s cybersecurity practices, minimize risk, and create an overall culture of security in your workplace.
Ace Your Next Cybersecurity Pop Quiz With Nortec – Work With Us Today
