7 Office Cybersecurity Tips

7 Cybersecurity tips for the workplace…

Employees can be both your greatest asset and your greatest vulnerability. Having an iron-clad security protocol in place will help decrease how susceptible your business is to an cyber-incident.

Make Cyber Awareness a Part of Onboarding

Start cybersecurity training from day one. Set the tone for your security environment and user expectations when you onboard new employees, making sure that they understand the importance of cybersecurity as well as available resources and training.

Continuous Training

You receive continuous updates and upgrades on company software and hardware, ideally you should be updating your employees on cybersecurity expectations in tandem. Be sure to have a system in place where all training and learning best practices is communicated to the appropriate people, through the appropriate channels. More than signing an IT policy, consider quarterly or yearly Lunch & Learn sessions that encourage both compliance and cooperation.

Security at Work, Home, and On the Road

If your employees are accessing work documents or emails at home or working on the road, then your cybersecurity training should include remote access and VPN’s. Explain the potential impact a cyberincident may have on your organization’s operations, and make sure employees are aware of their obligations with all company property.

Click Safely

Always assume that you have something a cyber criminal wants. Determine whether restricting company access to social media and online shopping websites is something you want to do. Talk to your MSP or IT support about setting up a web filter. Be sure your employees are knowledgeable about websites to avoid and common phishing techniques.

Recognizing an Attack

Communicate step-by-step instructions about what to do if employees believe they are experiencing a cyberattack. If a cyber criminal has accessed a users laptop (i.e. someone moving your mouse remotely), they should know to immediately disconnect from the network and turn the laptop off. AlphaRidge offers highly responsive IT support, with remediation available in minutes – in situations like these contact your IT support immediately and notify your administrator.

Maintain Realistic Expectations

Asking employees to keep track of countless passwords on top of changing them on a weekly basis will likely result in them storing their passwords on post-it notes or in an unsecure document. Utilize a password storage tool, such as LastPass, that is secure and uncomplicated for employees to utilize.

Action & Evaluation

You can provide extensive and mandatory cybersecurity training, but it may have little impact if you don’t follow it up with actionable steps that employees can immediately implement in the workplace. Follow up with frequent evaluations, gauge the efficacy of your training and tailor your program from there. See what needs to be emphasized and revised over time.

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AlphaRidge is a leading MSP located in NY.  With over 15 years of managed services experience, AlphaRidge experts have solutions for your specific needs. We place the highest value on the protection and privacy of your data, and we maintain transparency to you with every service we provide. Our white glove on-site and remote service is designed to demystify IT and streamline your concerns into rapid solutions, so that you can focus on what you do best. Consider our team, your team.