InfoSec: 5 Cyber Security Best Practices for IT Teams and Internal Staff
Did you know, one in five organisations admit that their employees are their biggest vulnerability when it comes to cyber security? The key to avoiding employee-induced security attacks is user awareness, along with robust security policies and systems. Below we list a number of important security measures that we recommend are implemented as standard within any organisation.
1. Implement the principle of least privilege
One of the fundamental components of any security control within an organisation, the “principle of least privilege” ensures that users only have access to what they need to perform their legitimate day-to-day activities, with any additional permissions being granted rather than set by default.
Although it seems obvious, we often find that users have full administrative rights to a local machine, effectively giving them access to install programs or edit system settings on a corporate device.
2. Design and enforce security policies
These policies should cover all potential security risks that employees may face, including phishing attacks over email and social engineering attacks via telephone. You might also implement things such as two-factor authentication, which provides an extra layer of security that helps to mitigate vulnerability surrounding credentials.
3. Train staff continuously
Simply raising awareness about cyber security isn’t enough. Training and retraining staff on the security practices you’ve implemented will help them accept cyber security as part of organisational culture, rather than an external factor. You might even hold training days or lunch and learn sessions to make it more interesting for staff.
4. Test training methods
You won’t know how effective your training and security methods are until you test them. Use real-world examples such as internal phishing attacks tests to see how employees respond to them. This will provide real insight into how well your training methods have worked, as well as providing an insight into who needs additional training.
5. Ensure you have an incident management policy in place
If your security is sophisticated enough, you will usually know when a breach has occurred. But if not, would your employees know how to report one? In times of panic, it’s only human to act without thinking about the wider implications. A full incident management policy ensures all stakeholders are aware of the potential impact of a breach, with a clear process enabling employees to engage the right people and take the appropriate steps to remedy the situation.
Interested in the above but not sure how to implement them in your organisation? Contact us today to find out how we can help you with your cyber security.
