What are the 10 Good Cybersecurity Practices for Businesses

Cybersecurity

Before this era of digital addiction we entered, technology was just many companies and professionals who worked in their respective businesses. Currently, it is difficult to find a company that does not only depend on the internet to exist, function, or perform its work.

 

We are all connected all day, and so, we contact customers, store documents, discuss prices and internal policies, relate to coworkers, all using e-mail, chats, groups, social media, cloud, etc.

However, what seems harmless can become a problem if companies don't have rules to protect themselves from cyber threats. What was confidential can cease to be with the snap of the fingers and thus cause serious damage to companies, to their image, to the image of their professionals?

Because of this situation, we will propose 10 good cybersecurity practices for companies so that they can have an idea of ​​what can be done to prevent problems arising from the misuse of technology or even help to protect against cyber threats:

10 Good Cybersecurity Practices for Companies

1. Create an internal information security regulation, where the company defines its employees' rights, duties, and responsibilities. 

The limits of access to company information, the possibility of using that information inside and outside the company, the confidentiality of the information obtained, and the penalties. 

If the rules are disobeyed, as well as the control and monitoring mechanisms of the company's technological apparatus;

2. Create a Privacy Policy aimed at company personnel, indicating the individual's expectation of privacy with the company, as well as how to monitor the user's accesses and communications (employee or not), when he uses the device technological information provided by the company, and even informing about video surveillance, if any, and the limits of it's use by the company, if necessary;

3. Create Terms of Use to define the rules for the use of the company's technological infrastructure, including its internal systems, e-mails, or even accounts for storing documents in the cloud, as well as any electronic equipment provided by the users (employees or not), such as tablets, cell phones, and/or computers.

4. Identify whether there is a need to classify information according to the degree of confidentiality and define who can access what in the company's systems;

5. Identify the best way to store company information and files, creating, if possible, a single standard, and defining clear rules on how to use and keep that information and files, and even their disposal;

6. Define if there are limits and/or prohibition of access to certain internet applications, such as, for example, some social media, or if it is the case of permission, identify any reservations;

7. Create a primer on behavior on social media, indicating what is allowed and what is prohibited, and promote training on business-friendly behavior ;

8. Create rules on the use of passwords to access companies' secure environments, informing about possible monitoring of activities, as well as rules on account cancellation and prohibition of access  to the company's systems and technological apparatus after the termination of the employment relationship;

9. If the company has a Virtual Private Network VPN, which means virtual private network, create specific rules on its use;

10. Warn about the duty to report any information security incident to which they are aware that could unduly expose information about the company, its personnel, or its customers and the leakage of confidential information that could compromise their image.