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The Importance of Cyber Security


Posted 9th October 2018


The importance of cyber security was once again brought to the fore when British Airways announced that they had experienced a massive data breach involving the financial details of 380,000 of their customers. It is the biggest breach of its kind since the introduction of GDPR in May and could, potentially, have some serious implications for BA. The airline could face fines up to £500million.

You would have seen it on the news, so why are we bringing it to your attention again?

Because we know that cyber security is a complex area and it is important to understand that if even the largest companies in the world can be vulnerable to cyber security breaches, then it is vital that we all do as much as possible to protect smaller businesses from similar attacks. Whether it is someone remotely hacking your system and stealing files or infiltrating using malware and worms, your business’ IT Infrastructure needs to be able to handle anything that is thrown at it.

The way businesses store employee and client information is now controlled by GDPR, and a breach can lead to hefty fines as well as a loss of credibility between you and your client base. All organisations and companies are covered under GDPR legislation, and it isn’t something that you can bypass or circumnavigate.

So, cyber security is serious, what can you do to ensure that your IT Infrastructure and data are protected?

One of the first things that you need to consider is what are you doing already? Are you backing up your files? Have you trained your staff in cyber security awareness and prevention? Do you have adequate Anti-Virus products providing protection? Are your patches up to date, firewalls functioning? Is your email filtration system working effectively, if you are using Office 365 do you have Advanced Threat Protection in place? Do you have an audit of your IT estate?

Think about how many of your day to day business operations rely on computers. Invoicing, paying staff, managing the contents of a warehouse? Ransomware and CRYPTOvirus attacks can leave systems unusable and make it impossible for you to access any critical data. By ensuring that your business systems are backed up to a remote location or managed Cloud service, you can bypass an attack and keep your business running as usual. LP Networks are a Cyber Essentials certified company and can assist you with Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Protection.

The more comprehensive solution though is to monitor your system to head off any attacks before they happen. Being proactive and prepared is always better than having to react. By utilising a Remote Monitoring and Management system, you can feel safer knowing that your anti-virus and web protection is up to date and that you have a firewall in place that will stop viruses and worms from entering your infrastructure.
You could also sign up to our cyber security alert emails. We regularly email our customers when we hear about potential cyber security or malware attacks that could affect their organisations. Being better informed allows you to be better prepared.

Another easily implementable measure is to train your staff about cyber security breaches. Teaching your team about the dangers of phishing (accessing sensitive information by pretending to be someone who is trusted, usually by email) for example can not only protect your organisation but can also help them to keep their private details safe online. Additionally, making your team aware of suspicious emails or websites and showing them what to look out is another proactive measure which reduces the likelihood of an attack and reactive measures.

How can LP Networks help?

LP Networks provide all of these services and more and are always happy to advise and talk to businesses who may have questions about cybersecurity risks. If you would like to stay up to date with potential threats to your IT Infrastructure, please sign up to our cybersecurity email service, it’s free, and we promise that your information will be kept in a safe place.

 

Business Cyber Risk Scorecard

Business Cyber Risk Scorecard

Long gone are the days of having an Anti-virus software on your device and thinking thats you covered, its now a fast moving and evolving landscape that needs constant awareness on whats happening, a multi-layered approach to protecting the business networks and data, and expert advice. 

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