Cyber Security statistics 2021
Perhaps as you read this article, cyber-attacks are taking place in various countries around the world. According to research of Risk Based Security, in the first six months of 2021, publicly reported 1767 data breach cases occurred because of cyber-attacks. These are just publicly reported data theft cases which are equal to 18,8 billion data theft. Cyber security takes importance for every field which is highly significant in society. It is possible to be subjected to cyber-attacks, either individually or within enterprise for reasons that depend on us or not. How to prevent cyber-attacks? There are several methods to prevent cyber crimes.
1. Methods of protection against cyber-attacks
1.1 Back up your data. Firstly, you must select the most important information. Such a group of information may include important documents, photos, e-mails, contacts, or calendars.
1.2 Transfer your files in memory of other devices besides computer. When your documents are linked to a specific device, network, or location, it is easy for cybercriminals to hack into a database using ransomware and malware. To prevent this, you can transfer your files from your computer to an external USB or disk memory. Thus, your data is protected from outside intrusions (employee intrusion, hacker attack).
1.3 Identify your cloud programs. You unknowingly use cloud storage services in your personal and business life. Using cloud storage means that, your files are far from your physical space. Service providers provide your company with a database and web services investing in hardware.
1.4 Make backing up data an important part of your daily routine. While backing up files on a regular basis can be a boring task, many network or cloud programs give you solutions that allow to make it automatically. For example, you can save any of your files in memory of special folders. Automatic backups not only save you time, but also assures you have files need you to work on in the future.
2. Protection of organization from malwares
Protecting companies that are economically important for the country from malware is not only important for employees or company management. It also prevents the company's trade secrets, and thus the country's economic secrets, from falling into the hands of cyber attackers or through them to third parties.
2.1 Download antivirus software. Antivirus programs should be used for all desktops and laptops. For smartphones and tablets, antivirus programs must be configured differently.
2.2 Prevent employees from downloading malicious software. You must prevent your employees from downloading software from untrusted applications. If you want to download the app, download it from Google Paly or App Store only. Because these applications have a protection structure against malware.
2.3 Update all your IT equipment regularly. Make sure all your IT equipment such as computer, tablet or corporate mobile phone is regularly updated with software. Applying these updates is one of the most important things you can do to strengthen your information security.
2.4 Monitor the use of USBs and memory cards. One of the most convenient ways is to send files to employees, departments or companies via USB or memory cards. However this leads to a lot of material damage to the company by cyber attackers transferring malware to USB.
Data is transmitted openly via USB or memory cards. Therefore, it is not possible to determine what kind of intrusion has taken place from them, by whom and how. If external interference occurs as a result of a gap, the following methods are available to prevent it.
to restrict users from accessing your physical ports;
to use antivirus software;
to allow only approved disks or cards to be used by your company.
2.5 Change your firewalls. Many popular operating systems use a firewall. Firewalls create “buffer zone” between your network and external network.
3. Beyond simple passwords
3.1 Use strong passwords. One of the common methods used by cyber attackers is to gain access to your accounts, network or database by imitating your switching method. To prevent this:
Use unique, strong passwords for each of your accounts;
Reinforce your password using letters, numbers and symbols;
Change password when your account is compromised;
Keep your passwords secret;
Never use same password on different accounts;
Do not click on incoming mails under the name “Change your password”;
Do not log in to your accounts on a public Wi-Fi network
3.2 2FA Authentication. Two-factor authentication provides a second line of defense and protects accounts from unauthorized access. Different methods are used for two-factor authentication. These methods include the unique code sent to your mobile phone, the hardware used, the fingerprint, and the facial recognition methods. The tools used for two-factor authentication consist mainly of downloadable resources and provide the authentication methods adopted for these general accounts.
3.3 Manage your passwords. You can securely store each of your passwords using password management without remembering each one separately. This means that you always remember that password when you access your account with any password stored in password management.
Legislative measures
In addition to the above methods, it is important to be aware of local and international practices and legislative procedures. As an example of this, we present international security standards such as ISO27001 which embodies legal or physical controls involved in the organization’s information risk management process, GDPR which called General Data Protection, and developed by European Union, PCI DDS which compiled in the connection with the security of payment card information and laws on information security adopted in Azerbaijan in different years.
Consulting services, trainings
Through basing the information security of companies, “DEFSCOPE” LLC company is working to guide organizations in cyber security and contributes to the development of Azerbaijan’s business environment by means of consulting services and trainings such as security of mobile and web applications, setting up international security standards, trainings such as penetration testing, security analysis and security management which plays important role in information security.
For more information, you can write to info@defscope.com or call (012) 409 2565
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