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TECHNOLOGY
TIPS ON HOW TO MAKE BUSINESS CYBERSECURITY A PRIORITY BY BROOKE STRICKLAND
JESSICA MURRAY
IT ACCOUNT MANAGER, LUTZ TECH
In the wake of current world events with Russia’s attack on Ukraine, cybersecurity concerns are increasing for businesses of all kinds and sizes around the United States. Here are some important things to keep in mind as you consider cybersecurity in today’s day in age.
Know the Basics
For new and established businesses alike, there is a lot to plan for — payroll, employee training, managing inventory, and paying taxes, etc. However, it is important to keep cybersecurity at the forefront of all
DON PECHA
SR. DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION SECURITY, FNTS
operations from the very get go. If you don’t, you could be making your business vulnerable at a time when you are trying to focus on strengthening and building your client base and revenue. The sooner you have a strong cybersecurity system in place, the safer your business will be. Jessica Murray, IT account manager for Lutz Tech, said that companies need to be on high alert. “Hackers aren’t using new tactics, but they are being more aggressive with the old ways. Stay diligent and informed,” she said.
DENISE MAINQUIST PRESIDENT, ITPAC CONSULTING
Denise Mainquist, ITPAC Consulting president, added that cybersecurity attacks are on the rise, especially in the health care sector. “But other types of businesses need to be alert to cyberattacks as well,” she said. “Phishing attacks and ransomware can have huge impacts, even if the business isn’t regulated or doesn’t think it has valuable information. Compromises of employee information, account credentials and financial account information can open a business up to fraud and losses that can be very expensive.”
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Know What You Need
Investing in the right security, therefore, is crucial, even if your company is on a shoe-string budget. “The cheapest and easiest place to start is with passwords and accounts,” Murray said. She recommends asking these questions of your team: -Does your password policy include a minimum length of 12 characters? Does it require numbers, letters, and/or special characters? -Is multifactor authentication (MFA) turned on wherever possible? Next, what is your backup strategy?
