- Almost 40% of employed Canadians say their company does not provide cybersecurity training: ISA Cybersecurity poll -
TORONTO, Oct. 1, 2021 /CNW/ - Cyber crime is rampant today, and 2022 is predicted to be the worst year ever. Yet, half of employed Canadians (51%) say they are not concerned their place of employment will experience a cyber attack or security breach. And almost four in 10 say they don't receive cybersecurity training at work. For Cybersecurity Awareness Month, ISA Cybersecurity is providing advice on how to follow cyber-smart work practices. That includes encouraging business owners to educate employees that cyber attacks are a real threat, and they must play a part in preventing them.
"Creating a cyber-aware culture in the workplace is a must in 2021," says Kevin Dawson, President & CEO of ISA Cybersecurity. "Employees are the front line of defense against cyber crime, and as an employer it's up to you to make cyber awareness a priority. Continuous training and adherence to best practices will make employees less likely to click on a phony link or open an infected attachment. These are simple but powerful ways to prevent a cyber attack."
Businesses of any size can easily adopt cyber-smart work practices for employees, such as:
- Train employees on the different types of cyber attacks and what to watch for. Teach employees how to identify a phishing attack and other forms of social engineering.
- Develop a basic set of IT policies and best practices so that employees know and understand the standards to follow.
- Require the use of complex, single-use passwords and augment the organization's security by employing two-factor (or more) authentication.
- Ensure employees access company resources using a VPN to protect business assets and communications. Make sure employees understand that using free Wi-Fi in a public place to access corporate systems is not safe.
Along with employee training, small businesses should ensure they have basic defensive measures in place and an action plan to speed recovery efforts in the event of an attack. ISA Cybersecurity recommends these Top Five tips for prevention and recovery:
- Keep your systems up to date: Some of the biggest breaches in the news have exploited known operating system bugs that had fixes available. Many patches can be automated and applying the latest versions of your mobile phone software, computer operating systems, applications, and anti-malware software is one of the most important activities you can do to protect your business.
- Back up your data: Conduct full backups of systems and essential data on a regular basis. Backups are critical for preserving your data and enabling fast recovery if your business experiences a cyber attack.
- Protect your physical IT infrastructure: Restrict access to assets, provide protection for portable devices, and guarantee the secure destruction of obsolete equipment and media so that you minimize the risk of a breach through hardware.
- Hire a cybersecurity firm to monitor your systems: Most cyber attacks are on nights or weekends: get peace of mind by having a team to alert you of any issues, 24/7. It's similar to hiring a security company to monitor your physical premises – and just as necessary.
- Act quickly if you've been attacked: Time is of the essence after a cyber attack. It's important to retain a cybersecurity firm so that you have someone to call in case of an emergency. A cybersecurity firm will be able to contain the attack as fast as possible and accelerate recovery efforts. It will also have the digital forensic expertise to investigate the source and ensure you're better prepared in future.
"Do things the right way from the start, because the cost of a cyber attack in terms of time, money and brand reputation is far higher than the cost of prevention," says Dawson. "Have basic controls and monitoring in place and have an expert you can call when you need one – it's a reality of doing business in 2021 and beyond."
About the Survey:
The survey findings are from a study conducted by ISA Cybersecurity from September 21 – 23, 2021, among 937 employed Canadians who are members of the online Angus Reid Forum. For comparison purposes only, a sample of this size would yield a margin of error of +/- 3.2 percentage points, 19 times out of 20. The survey was offered in both English and French.
About ISA Cybersecurity:
ISA Cybersecurity is Canada's leading cybersecurity-focused company, with nearly three decades of experience providing customers with advisory and technical services on complex and evolving issues related to cybersecurity. Their vision is to help create a world in which everyone is safe from cyber threats. Recognized by IDC MarketScape as a Major Player in Canadian Security Services, ISA Cybersecurity has offices in Toronto, Ottawa, and Calgary, and operates multiple 24/7/365, SOC 2 Type 2 security operations centres. ISA Cybersecurity delivers cybersecurity services and people you can trust. Learn more at www.isacybersecurity.com.
SOURCE ISA Cybersecurity
For interview requests and inquiries: Apurva Vinod, Paradigm Public Relations, 647-780-5424, [email protected]; Lindsay Ringuette, ISA Cybersecurity, 647-571-9026, [email protected]
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