Page 53 - Cyber Warnings

At the end of the day, organizations are only as strong and secure as their weakest link.

As more and more end-user devices get added to the network through workplace trends
like BYOD, BYOA, and IoT, it’s in every company’s best interest to properly educate
their end-users about the impact new devices like wearables or personal devices
(tablets, eReaders, etc.) connected to the corporate network can have on overall
security.

The organization’s IT department should be proactive and transparent about flagging
security vulnerabilities that could be exacerbated by end-user activities, such as using
company email on a smartphone OS that requires a security patch, or accessing a social
media profile with a password that may have been part of a larger breach.

Without a doubt, security and compliance standards are becoming an even greater concern
thanks to the rapid growth of hybrid IT, IoT, the integration of more personal devices in the
workplace, and a general lack of security experts.

By implementing these four essential best practices (and leveraging all available resources), IT
departments can do better at ensuring systems security is top of mind, and be well on their way
to developing a reliable security process that will protect against the expected rise in
ransomware and other cyberattacks in 2017.

About the Author

Destiny Bertucci is a Head Geek at SolarWinds®, and is a Cisco®
Certified Network Associate (CCNA), CIW Masters, INFOSEC, MCITP
SQL and SolarWinds Certified Professional. Her 15 years of network
management experience spans healthcare and application engineering,
including over nine years as SolarWinds Senior Application Engineer.

53 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine November 2016 Edition
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