Cyber Hygiene Best Practices

UTICA NATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT ALERT

As cyberattacks become more frequent and severe, it’s increasingly important for organizations to practice good cyber hygiene—habitual practices ensuring critical data and connected devices are handled safely—to minimize their exposure to risk. Some consequences of poor cyber hygiene include:

• Security breaches
• Data loss
• Software vulnerabilities
• Antivirus weakness

The following are essential parts of cyber hygiene:

Passwords

Users should create strong and complex passwords, and avoid sharing passwords or using the same password across different accounts.

Security Software

A highquality antivirus software can perform automatic device scans to detect and remove malicious software and provide protection from various online threats and security breaches.

Data Backups

Essential files should be backed up in a separate location, such as on an external hard drive or in the cloud.

Firewalls

Organizations should have a network firewall to prevent unauthorized users from accessing company websites, email servers and other sources of information.

Multi-factor Authentication

Important accounts should require multi-factor authentication to limit the opportunity for cybercriminals to steal data.

Employee Education

Workforce cybersecurity education is essential to teach employees to identify phishing attacks, social engineering and other cyberthreats.

Daily routines, good behaviors and occasional checkups can make all the difference in ensuring an organization's cyber health is in optimal condition. For additional risk management guidance, contact us today.

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This Risk Insights is not intended to be exhaustive nor should any discussion or opinions be construed as legal advice. Readers should contact legal counsel or an insurance professional for appropriate advice.