This week marked the annual Computer Security Day. Each year on the 30th of November, Computer Security Day is celebrated to raise awareness and promote best practice in Information Security. Although Computer Security Day dates back to 1988, it’s more relevant than ever with GDPR looming.
So, how did you mark the day? We focused on ensuring our devices and data were secure. We also reviewed our passwords to make sure they’re hard to hack.
But for us, this isn’t a once a year exercise. In fact, we’re completely committed to Cyber Security. This month we were proud to be awarded our Certificate of Assurance in Cyber Essentials from IASME.
And, in recognition of Computer Security Day, here are our cyber security top tips:

Password Management

Have systems and processes in place for password management across the company. Make sure there’s a policy in place for staff to refer to. Everyone should be using a strong mix of characters and different passwords for each site or software. Passwords should also be changed regularly. If you can activate two-factor authentication, do so.

Dont be phish food

Think an email attachment looks dodgy? Dont open it! Check the sender’s full email address (not just the display name), and use your best judgement. If you’re sent a link, double check the URL of the website, hackers will often take advantage of small misspellings to trick you into a harmful domain.

Back up your data

It seems that just about everything is stored on the cloud now. But what happens in the event of an attack? Ransomware is growing in popularity, and many large organisations (including the NHS!) have found their data held hostage, with a promise that it will be released upon payment of an extortionate sum. Make sure all your important data is regularly backed up to an external hard drive and stored safely.

You need anti-virus

Anti-virus software really is a must. A successful malware attack can destroy everything on your device, so protecting it is vital. Research the options and bear in mind that a paid software will be better than a free one.
There are many more things to take into account when making sure your cyber-safe, but these steps are a good start. So, what did you do for Cyber Security Day? Let us know.