One of the fastest-growing crimes in the world today is cyber crimes. It allows hackers to gain access to information that is not for public use. Hackers use this information to leave the person vulnerable. This also means that the person or company whose data has been breached has its name plastered all over the news. To avoid this, you want to ensure that all your data has been locked tight with the help of antivirus software, endpoint security, and antimalware measures.

Stick to trusted programs
Modern attacks won’t be easily preventable if you rely on free antivirus software to help you with them. It is important that you rely on a trusted provider for a paid, reliable antivirus software package. And if that does not fit your budget, you can look into free versions provided by well-known providers to add security to your company’s data. Antivirus software can be deployed and managed on all of the company’s endpoint devices for optimum security. SentinelOne is one of the most trusted names when it comes to software that provides you with endpoint security and various other products and services. All of which are aimed at protecting you against cyber threats. Platforms that provide endpoint protection use AI-powered attack detection systems, investigation capabilities, triage, and work on a range of operating systems. SentinelOne®’s Singularity™ platform allows you to submit relevant data and further discuss the plan details that would best suit your business’ endpoint security needs.

HTTPS for the win
An SSL certificate is an absolute must-have if you or your business handles customer data through the company website. This will be responsible for the upgradation of your domain to HTTPS and assuring the customers that their customer to your company is secure. The SSL certification is also a surety for the customers that all the data they share is encrypted before making it out of their device. It is an assurance that the shared data is not easily accessible to hackers and is secure from cyber-attacks.

Employee training
It might come across as surprising, but most cyber attacks are partly attributed to human error. It is vital to train employees and make them aware of the right practices for internet usage. Retraining programs are also crucial to ensure your employees do not slip up during working on some projects. This also helps them to be aware of the newer practices to follow. Things to include in the training modules include recognizing fraudulent emails, potential malware links in any form of online communication, the importance of locking computers when stepping away, strong passwords, and multi-factor authentication.

Hire IT professionals
Hiring IT personnel is going to be one of the most gratifying things you can do to prevent cyber attacks. And if you do not have the kind of budget to hire a full-time in-house professional, consider getting in touch with a managed service provider. They can look into your processes and systems and then suggest areas of improvement to strengthen your company’s security further. Plus, they are more aware of the current digital threat trends and similar vulnerabilities and will likely be able to help you with some actionable advice.

Turn on multi-factor authentication
Almost every platform today offers you access to multi-factor authentication to provide you with that added layer of security. It’s another necessary layer that waits for your identification, making sure you are accessing the data. It prevents your account from being used by an unauthorized person and leaves you susceptible to cyber-attack. Whenever you can, make sure you are turning on the multi-factor authentication option for all possible sites.

Avoid public networks
When you are using public networks, keep in mind that you are sharing the network space with everyone else connected. Any information you access, receive or send is accessible to anyone on the network. Being connected to a public network leaves you vulnerable, as anyone can access your information. If you have no choice but to use a public network, try using a VPN to add security to your data. Also, remember that there is no such thing as “secure enough.” As long as you are an internet user, you are vulnerable to cyber-attacks. There is a reason why even the biggest companies in the world invest in cyber security and have teams actively protecting your data.

Back up data
Security breaches can often end up costing you essential data. Make a habit of periodically backing up your data onto a local storage device or on the cloud. This will ensure that all your hard work is available to restore if you lose it off your computer.

Find a White collar hacker
It is important everyone comprehends and accepts the fact that not all hackers are bad guys that loot your life’s savings. Some even do it to help you identify security risks in your system and expose the possibility of a cyber-attack. These White hat hackers go as far as to help you patch up these security flaws.

Use secure file-sharing options
If your work involves regularly sharing sensitive or confidential information, consider using a secure file-share platform. Regular emails aren’t secure enough to be sharing confidential documents. If intercepted, emails can let the wrong people easily access the information you want to keep secure. The platform will also automatically encrypt your files, making it difficult for unauthorized people to read them.