Six basic safety measures
Small and medium-sized enterprises in particular are increasingly being targeted by hackers. On the occasion of European Cyber Security Month, six basic defensive measures should be recalled once again.
Many SMEs still believe they are too small and insignificant to become a serious target for cybercriminals: a fatal mistake. SMEs in particular often have exclusive know-how - and that magically attracts hackers.
In October 2019 is again the European Cyber Security Month (ECSM) of the European Union. With it, the EU is pursuing the goal of raising public awareness of the importance of cyber security. Dell Technologies is taking this special month as an opportunity to explain six basic security measures that SMEs can already use to arm themselves well against hackers, but which they nevertheless neglect far too often.
- Perform regular updates. The strategically controlled installation of updates for operating systems and applications has top priority. Less critical systems must not be forgotten, because they can be the gateway for hackers to access business-critical data.
- Protect connections comprehensively. Network and Internet connections must be secured across all levels with technologies such as spam and virus filters, firewalls and encryption. This applies all the more when employees work on the road and thus access the company network from outside.
- Encrypt endpoint data. Data at rest on servers and end devices should also be encrypted. This applies not only to desktop PCs, but also to all mobile devices - and especially to employees' private devices that they also use for work.
- Use strong passwords. If the same log-in is used for different accounts, hackers can reuse stolen credentials. Companies therefore need strong passwords (see also under www.passwortcheck.ch) that are changed regularly. Wherever possible, passwords should be replaced by multi-factor authentication such as smart card, code or fingerprint.
- Check and restrict access. All access to the corporate network should be carefully checked and restricted as far as possible. This can be achieved with the help of identity and access management (IAM). It can be used to centrally manage identities and access rights to systems and applications.
- Sensitize employees. The best security systems are powerless if employees are clueless or negligent. Companies should provide training on security policies, current threats and countermeasures to increase their vigilance and awareness.
"One hundred percent security will never exist. But with the right security measures in place, midmarket companies have all the tools they need to successfully fend off cyberattacks," says Andreas Scheurle, Product Specialist Endpoint Security at Dell Technologies. "The key here is a holistic security approach that covers all devices and involves all employees."
Source: Dell Technologies
