Affecting everyone from small businesses to major corporations, cybercrime has steadily increased in recent years—resulting in estimated financial losses of $2.7 billion in 2018 alone. While cybercriminals may not be slowing down, there are many resources companies can use to keep their networks and data secure. If you want to make sure your business isn’t left vulnerable, perform an internal audit and work with a network security service provider to implement dependable solutions. Here’s how to begin.
5 Steps to Conducting a Business Cybersecurity Audit
1.List Assets
Make an extensive list of all the valuable assets that could be compromised by cyberattacks—such as malware, phishing, and DDoS attacks. This list should include any assets that are supported by your network—including cloud storage, encrypted data, computer hardware, and mobile devices.
2.Prioritize Risks
Rank the assets from most to least valuable so you can prioritize their need for protection. Account passwords and sensitive customer data, for instance, may demand more defense than your business VoIP system.
3.Define Major Threats
There are many different ways that cybersecurity can be compromised, so it’s important to recognize them all individually.
Employee account data, for instance, will be vulnerable to poor password protocols and phishing scams. Servers and website activity, on the other hand, will be more sensitive to DDoS attacks.
4.Review Defenses Already in Place
Next, perform a checkup on all cybersecurity services you’ve already implemented. For example, evaluating encryption programs can help you find weak spots in your overall data security.
If you use third-party programs, make sure you have a system in place to install software patches quickly and effectively. As you review user-generated risks, ensure your employees are following best practices when it comes to avoiding malicious links and email phishing attempts.
Since it’s natural to have some bias about how effective these defense solutions are, it’s a good idea to have a network security service provider perform external testing to detect additional vulnerabilities.
5.Identify Solutions
With all the risks prioritized and outlined, look for the best solutions to keep your assets protected. In some cases, you might need to retrain your employees on cybersecurity protocols. In others, you may need to upgrade your virus detection software.
A network security service provider can review these needs and introduce you to the most advanced and up-to-date solutions.