Virtually everyone who spends time on the Internet today is subject to viruses, spam, and cyber attacks. And if an employee’s computer is infected with a virus at home, they can help hackers infiltrate any computer system their device is connected to. Perhaps that’s why more than half of businesses across the globe (58%) are worried about cyber attacks.

For better or worse, your company’s cyber security is only as secure as your network’s users. Even if 99% of your workers are up to date on best practices, one weak link can leave your network open to attack. That’s why it is critical for business owners to take proactive steps to avoid cyber attacks in the workplace.

Governance

Simply put, your company needs clear policies on computer and network usage. Every new employee should be trained on these policies, and all old workers should be brought up to speed. This governance policy should include company rules on setting passwords, access control, and whether company devices can be used for personal use. In addition, this policy should address specific risks. For instance, make sure all employees know that they must not download attachments or open PDFs in emails sent from unknown senders.

Risk Assessment

Typically, this is one of the first steps to take in the cyber security process. Before you can implement a cyber security policy, you need to understand your company’s unique vulnerabilities. Whether you handle IT support internally or through managed IT services, risk assessments are critical if you want to avoid cyber attacks in the workplace. However, remember that risk assessment is not a one and done type of procedure. Rather, it should be an ongoing process. Finally, business owners should learn about the types of IT services and best practices other members of their industry are using to safeguard their networks and data.

Ongoing Cyber-security Training

As we stated earlier, sometimes employees can be the biggest risk to a business’s safety. Employees need to understand their role in the company when it comes to cyber safety. Basic training should include teaching employees what kinds of websites they cannot visit on their work computers. Likewise, each and every employee should frequently change passwords, which can help make a huge difference in cyber safety.

Even after completing all of these steps, turning over your business’s cyber security to managed IT services such as MTI Techs is often a wise decision.