Best Practices to Enhance Your Security Program
Your company may have the latest security software and most secure office policies, but your actions also play a big part in helping to keep customers’ personal data safe. Consider this: One employee could make a mistake by sharing sensitive company and customer information on their gadget or smartphone or clicking on a corrupt link — and that could lead to a very costly data breach.
When you work at a small or medium-sized company, it’s wise to learn about cybersecurity best practices. If you go through a PDPA course and educate yourself about the small yet significant things that contribute to cybersecurity, it can go a very long way toward helping to secure and protect your organization.
Here’s a deeper dive into cybersecurity best practices for businesses that every staff member should know and follow.
- Protect Your Data
In your daily life, you would probably avoid sharing sensitive personally identifiable information like your Social Security number or credit card information when answering an unsolicited email, text message, phone call, or instant message. It’s critical to exercise the same caution at work. Bear in mind that cybercriminals can create fake email addresses and websites that look legitimate. Scammers can fake caller ID information. They can even take over company social media accounts and send out seemingly legitimate messages.
It might sound obvious, but it is crucial not to leak your organization’s data, sensitive information, or intellectual property. For example, if you share a picture online that shows a whiteboard or computer screen in the background, you could unknowingly and accidentally reveal information someone outside the company should not see.
Your company can help protect its employees, consumers, and data by creating and distributing business policies that cover topics such as how to discard or destroy data that are no longer needed and how to report suspicious emails.
- Avoid Pop-ups, Unknown Emails, and Links
Beware of phishing. Phishers would try to trick you into clicking on a link that may result in a potential security breach.
Phishers prey on staff, in hopes they will open pop-up windows or other malicious links that have viruses and malware embedded in them. That is why it’s so important to be cautious of links and attachments in emails from senders you do not recognize. With just a click, you could enable hackers to infiltrate your company’s computer network and data systems.
Rule of thumb: Never enter your company or personal information in response to a pop-up webpage, an email, or any other kind of communication you did not initiate or recognize. Phishing can also lead to identity theft and fraud. It is also the way most ransomware attacks occur.
Be cautious. If you are unsure about the legitimacy of an email or other communication, immediately notify your security department or security lead.
- Invest in Security Systems
All of the computers and devices you use at work and at home should have the protection of strong and trusted security software. It is critical for your company to provide data security in the workplace, but alert your PDPA officer, IT department, or Information Security manager if you see anything suspicious that might indicate a cybersecurity issue. There may be a flaw or a bug in the system that the company needs to fix or secure. The faster you report an issue, the better.
- Embrace Education and Training
Smart companies in Singapore take the time to train their employees or enrol them in a PDPA course. Your responsibility as an employee includes knowing your company’s cybersecurity policies and what’s expected of you. That includes following them. If you’re unsure about a policy, ask.