Page 23 - Cyber Warnings

10 cyber security measures growing companies should

implement
Tips to keep your business safe as it expands

By Asher de Metz, Lead Senior Consultant (Information Security), Sungard Availability Services
(Sungard AS)

This may surprise you, but growing companies are the perfect target for cyber attackers. That's
because they're just becoming large enough to have data and financial resources worth going
after, while often not yet having the infrastructure in place to implement sufficient security
measures. This makes them an easy target compared to large multinationals, who usually have
the budget and resources to protect themselves effectively.

If that's where your company is at now, this is probably the last thing you want to read. You're
just starting to make enough to pay the bills, so you hardly want to be splashing any extra cash
on cyber secuity. If you're wondering what can you do about this that won't take up too much
time or cost more than you can afford, you'll be glad to know that we've rounded up some
simple advice to help you make your company safer online.

Here are our top ten tips:

1: Make sure software is always up to date

The updates that software providers offer include improvements to security in response to the
latest identified risks. You should keep all of the software you're using up to date – as well as
anti-malware, this includes operating systems, applications, browser plug-ins, and firmware.
Don't delay before implementing these updates – the longer you wait, the more chance you
have of placing your systems at risk. Just double check that all your software is set to update
automatically, which will save you the headache of constantly checking.

2: Keep your passwords secure

Sometimes the biggest security risks are the most obvious things. Using passwords that are
easy to guess is a classic error that can land you in serious trouble. Avoid using the same
passwords for multiple online locations, and then use a password manager to keep track of all
your passwords for you.

3: Implement security measures for mobile devices

Many organizations fail to consider the potential for security breaches on the smartphones and
tablets their employees use at work. Simple measures you can take include locking devices to
prevent opportunistic thieves from gaining access to sensitive data, and encrypting the data so

23 Cyber Warnings E-Magazine – May 2017 Edition
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