Cover Feature | Communications & Technology

Managed IT support and specialist business telecoms provider, MF Telecom Services, is on a mission to spread awareness of the importance of cyber security. Sharing their expertise, they discuss here some of the prevention measures you can put in place right now.

No company, big or small, is immune to a cyber-attack. Knowing what to look out for and how to protect your organisation is the best way to help guard against everincreasing threats.

Putting in place a cyber security protocol is essential. Within that, staff training should be a priority. With Phishing being at the top of the hackers’ list for ways to get in, making sure employees are aware of what to look out for will go a long way towards mitigating your risks.

Hackers can and will look for any loophole to infiltrate your business, whether that’s directly via a staff member clicking on a link or through cracks in the system. These can come in the form of a vulnerability on devices, poor management of data back-ups or the failure to update passwords and security software.

As a minimum, put up a firewall and install some security software. Add the extra layers such as MFA. Then make sure you keep it up to date. Limit or keep track of who is using and sharing data within your organisation. Arm your employees with the knowledge of what to look for.

Unfortunately, nothing is foolproof. Malware protection will pick up and prevent the majority of phishing emails, but many will make it through. So staff training is key as your employees could be your weakest link.

If you have business cyber insurance, check the policy requirements. Most insurance companies require you to mitigate your cyber risks, so if you are not seen to be actively doing that, the policy may not be valid.

The National Cyber Security Centre offers lots of free advice online. In addition, MF Telecom Services recommends a cyber security health check to assess the positives and pitfalls of your current practices. Most reputable IT support companies will offer one for free.

Prevention is always cheaper than the cure!

www.mftelecomservices.co.uk/