How Can Cybersecurity Teams Save Cost and Time?

Previously, I discussed the importance of data security for businesses. I am reminded of the adage "better safe than sorry" about data security as I write this. Keeping your team and yourself vigilant is crucial in today's world, where cybercrime is rising.

A cybersecurity survey[1] conducted between 2017 and 2018 found that malware, ransomware, and phishing were the most common causes of data breaches. In 2018, cybercrime cost Australia's businesses $29 billion, affecting over 6 million people directly.

Would it surprise you if incidents like these led to financial and reputational harm, as well as reduced customer loyalty? Not at all. To keep a close eye on their businesses and clients, they need the right tools, expertise, and training.

How can cybersecurity teams save businesses time and money while staying within budgets and navigating security challenges? In this article, I've compiled a list of best practices that you can implement without compromising your company's digital security or return on investment.

Train the workforce

Employee training is critical for protecting your company from data breaches. While having in-house or contracted security experts is advantageous, it does not mean that you cannot train employees to detect and prevent a data breach. Every employee in your organization should be aware of best practices for in-house security, critical signs of a cyberattack, and your organization's response plan.

Whether done regularly or during onboarding, internal training of your workforce can save time, money, and resources. Simple precautions, such as never sharing login credentials with anyone, will go a long way toward protecting your company. The likelihood of vulnerabilities and data breaches decreases when everyone does their part to protect company information. The result is fewer disruptions and smoother day-to-day operations. 

Unless your employees adhere to the recommended cybersecurity practices, your data will remain vulnerable to prying eyes.

Pay Sensibly

Many businesses rely on various security tools and technologies. When a company's cybersecurity framework includes more than one security solution, the complexity grows; employees spend more time training and certifying themselves, and interoperability issues arise. Will having multiple products with similar capabilities have an impact on the budget and administrative costs?

Given that every piece of software is likely to have hidden flaws, reducing the number of deployed security solution tools can increase resistance while simplifying management. Reviewing what you require and consolidating these tools will save you time and money and reduce maintenance and administration efforts. As a result, it is prudent to only work with a vendor who can provide a robust security solution tailored to your company's needs.

Choose Automation

Human intervention is unavoidable in cybersecurity. You can, however, automate tasks associated with threat monitoring and detection. Consider using cybersecurity automation to detect existing threats on your network, locate and sort sensitive data, and assign permissions to specific users[2].

Patching tools can automatically update devices and software to the latest version, reducing cybersecurity vulnerabilities. You should also update new versions of web browsers and operating systems as soon as they are released. To achieve this objective, schedule and enable automatic updates and use web browsers that receive frequent, automated security updates.

Practice Safe Browsing 

Cybercriminals all over the world prefer to target their victims' systems through browsers. As a result, it's an excellent reason to fine-tune your system settings and limit the potential for threats so that everyone in your organization is safe. Employees are less likely to encounter malware or viruses if they are not permitted to visit unsecured websites. This is possible by implementing practical privacy settings throughout your organization.

When applied to websites and functionalities, zero-trust policies can help to reduce potential complications. Installing a spam email filter and pop-up blockers, for example, can protect your company from malicious emails containing malicious links that could steal credentials. You should make sure that your employees do not install software on their work computers without your permission. They may end up downloading malware-infected software, compromising the device without anyone noticing anything is wrong.

Monitor Network to Reduce Threats

Every business owner must know where sensitive data enters their system, the data transfer, and the storage process. Therefore, monitoring networks and devices regularly help to notice any red flags and respond accordingly. Vulnerability tests, when done periodically, detect flaws in the network that could otherwise lead to exposures and increase the risk of threats. 

Additionally, businesses can ensure protection by restricting who can enter and exit a network. Creating a guest network that is only available to your clients, vendors, affiliates, and family is a simple way to branch out authorization and reduce the risk of a data leak.

Conclusion 

Prevention is always better than reaction. And for businesses, cybersecurity policies can prevent and close gaps for hackers from breaking into the systems. 

Anybody can be a cybercriminal's target, but awareness is what will keep us at bay. Putting social media guidelines, email security guidelines, and password guidelines can strengthen your security standards. 

An investment today will save time and money down the road - as well as save you from the financial and mental anguish that comes with security breaches.