Why Now is the Right Time to Invest in Cybersecurity
More than a year into the pandemic, it’s clear that working from home is not a temporary solution. Even with more individuals receiving their COVID-19 vaccine, many businesses are committing to keeping this practice in place indefinitely, while some are embracing a hybrid model of remote and in-office work.
In 2020, more than 40 percent of businesses had at least one cyberattack related to the pandemic (according to a Tenable report, via TechRepublic). Small businesses and those with fewer employees dedicated to the matter were hit particularly hard by these attacks.
While making cybersecurity a priority can be difficult and costly, it can be more challenging and expensive -- or even catastrophic -- not to plan ahead for these breaches.
According to some workforce experts, there are “a whole new set of post-pandemic upheavals, in some instances more transformative than the unplanned move to working from home last March, with some making efforts to avoid pre-pandemic remote-work mistakes.” (Source: Washington Post)
As we look ahead to keeping our businesses and information protected, cybersecurity and proper training should be a top priority for any business with remote employees. A sound cybersecurity system must take into consideration the new and different strains on the IT infrastructure of any organization.
As trends point to remote-access workplaces being the rule rather than the exception, how can businesses and organizations best prepare to manage this increased threat level?
From an insurance perspective, we recommend that our clients have a cybersecurity policy in place. This coverage helps protect your organization against the cost of broad, technological-related security breaches, including risks incurred when a company’s computer or mobile device with sensitive data has been stolen; when electronics have been improperly disposed of; when a network or computer has been hacked; and with the negligent release of sensitive information.
The pandemic has highlighted the ways in which cyber insurance policies can differ (for instance, whether or not personal or only business computers are covered) -- and we’re here to help you make the most informed decisions for your coverage.
Outside of insurance coverage, many experts within the cybersecurity and IT space recommend reinforcing basic security practices to adjust for a remote workforce. According to a recent piece in Security Magazine: “...workers should be wary of information requests and always verify the authenticity of the source; make sure that all devices with network access have up-to-date software and patches; and employ dual-factor authentication for devices whenever possible.”
Additionally, it’s recommended that organizations employ a “zero-trust” architecture -- meaning, everyone working for a company should be treated as an equal security threat, and so each individual, device, application, etc. must be authenticated and authorized before gaining network access.
And, employing the right technology to support your infrastructure and employees tasked with security management is crucial. TrueFort is an award-winning solution that was built specifically to address the complexities and dynamic nature of modern applications and workloads across cloud and hybrid environments.
According to Sameer Malhotra, CEO of TrueFort, “TrueFort Fortress offers visibility into -- and mitigates -- otherwise hidden risks to an organization using real-time and historical data to protect Applications. Our technology continuously learns and monitors application behavior so that we can properly respond to threats in real-time.”
As we all evolve and revise our remote workforce capabilities, we are here to help you stay ahead of the ever-changing landscape and stay safe against cybersecurity threats. Contact us to help build your customized cyber liability policy.
