Don't Let Cybersecurity Risks Ruin Your Nonprofit's Reputation Don't let cybersecurity risks ruin your nonprofit's reputation. Don't let hackers gain access to donor data and your nonprofit's reputation. Don't be one of the many organizations that haven't adopted a robust cybersecurity policy. It's not enough to simply have a security policy; you also need a security plan and documentation. Without cybersecurity documentation, nonprofit cybersecurity your organization risks being hacked. By using a comprehensive cybersecurity policy, your organization will reduce its digital footprint and reduce the likelihood of being attacked. Nonprofits store sensitive information such as donor names and addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, and credit card details. However, more than half of nonprofits do not enforce multi-factor authentication and do not use a password manager. A password manager is an essential piece of nonprofit cybersecurity. If your website has a password manager, you can set up the password policy yourself. That will keep hackers out. It will also protect your donors from spam and other phishing scams. Make sure to back up important data on a regular basis and encrypt your laptop. Nearly every device on the Internet communicates passwords and login information. Hackers have the ability to shut down power grids and even a home's security system. Another important aspect of nonprofit cybersecurity is having sophisticated passwords. Passwords should be at least sixteen characters long and include special characters. Don't forget to change your passwords regularly and use unique ones each time. While it's a scary thought, data breaches can hurt a nonprofit's reputation and affect contributions. Don't neglect to assess cybersecurity risks - it's like failing to brush your teeth. Consider training sessions and workshops offered by state associations of nonprofits and cybersecurity experts. The NIST Cybersecurity Framework can help you identify the risks and mitigate them. It's not a one-size-fits-all approach, but can provide your nonprofit with a comprehensive cybersecurity strategy that is cost-effective and effective. Fortunately, the NFP community has a wealth of resources that can help you implement cybersecurity measures. The Cyber Oregon website contains valuable cybersecurity resources, including cybersecurity news, how-to guides, and access to resources in your area. Not only can you find useful tips, you can even learn about cybercrime and other cybersecurity threats. You can protect your mission and the personal information of your donors and volunteers by following the NPO Cybersecurity Playbook. This playbook is a must-have for nonprofits. While some cyberattacks may be directed toward nonprofits because their mission is compromised, others may be motivated by ideological differences. Even if your nonprofit is not targeted by ransomware, employee negligence can lead to malware infection in its network or shutting down essential systems. This downtime could be critical to your work. And if it's not protected, you might not be able to continue your work at all. Then, if your mission is threatened, what happens? When you do have an IT service provider, make sure they can protect you against ransomware, IT companies being hacked, and more. Many nonprofits don't invest in cybersecurity, due to
limited funding. Because of this, they often opt for lower-cost IT services providers, which could compromise their cybersecurity. In addition, about 70% of nonprofits have never conducted a vulnerability assessment, and nearly the same number have no cybersecurity response plan.