IT Insights

What Miami SMBs must do to protect their office computers from malware

Most successful cyberattacks are a direct result of human error. From phishing scammers who masquerade as colleagues to malicious software on a seemingly legitimate website, the threats are too numerous to count. And it won’t get any easier as access to computers and internet connectivity becomes even more common. That’s why business leaders and their staff must stay up to speed with cyberthreats and the means to mitigate them. Here are the most important steps towards locking down your business network:

Implement a data-governance strategy

Today’s IT systems often combine in-house and cloud-hosted resources. The increasing complexity of these designs often makes it difficult to maintain control over security and business continuity. Furthermore, many of the devices that store the most sensitive data are mobile, and consequently, much harder to lock down. A data-governance strategy helps you classify and organize all your digital assets and implement security controls for each one.

Carry out a risk assessment

With a better understanding of your IT inventory, where your data resides, and the threats facing both of them, the next step is carrying out a risk assessment to uncover every potential vulnerability. You’ll have to look at things like administrative, technological, and physical security measures if you want to prevent a malware attack. Keep an eye out for things like outdated operating systems and business software, “jailbroken” iPhones, and other vulnerable devices.

Monitor your network 24/7

Hackers don’t exactly hold office hours, so your business needs to be prepared for an attack at any time of day, every day of the year. Around-the-clock network monitoring is one of the most basic levels of service offered by any managed service provider (MSP). These solutions watch over all incoming traffic and send automatic alerts the moment anything suspicious is detected. As such, 24/7 monitoring provides an additional and overarching layer of security beyond everyday solutions such as antimalware software.

Install an IDS and IPS

Intrusion detection systems (IDSs) and intrusion prevention systems (IPSs) are often confused with firewalls. Although there’s some crossover in the functionality between the three of them, they all have an important role to play as individual layers to your cybersecurity infrastructure. Using a combination of intelligent behavior detection methods and recognizable malware signatures, firewalls, IDSs, and IPSs work together to keep your network safe and inform administrators about everything that’s going on.

Don’t neglect antimalware

It’s often said that plain-old antimalware software is ineffective. Although it’s nowhere near enough by itself, antimalware remains a cornerstone of any cybersecurity strategy. This software should be running on every endpoint, including desktop devices, servers, laptops, and smartphones. For optimal protection, you should use antimalware software that comes with automatic updates and scans for suspicious activity rather than only scanning for known forms of malware.

Manage your updates

Outdated software presents one of the biggest opportunities for malware developers who want to exploit undiscovered or unpatched vulnerabilities that have yet to be patched. That’s why Microsoft finally made it impossible to defer security updates with the release of Windows 10, at least if you want to be able to connect to the internet. However, it’s not just operating systems that need to be kept up to date; you should also ensure you’re running the latest firmware on connected devices like your router and any other networking hardware. At Sabio Information Technologies, we understand that a malware attack can cripple even the most successful businesses. That’s why our experienced technology professionals are here to help you implement cutting-edge security solutions that you can depend on. Call us today to find out more.

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