Cyber attacks are on the minds of every CEO and corporate board in the world today. Each year corporations across the globe spend billions of dollars to secure corporate data and keep hackers out. When hackers are successful, it can cost a corporation greatly. The damage caused by hackers goes beyond financial burdens but extends to an organization’s reputation and customer relationships. How does an organization ensure corporate data is safe from the hands of hackers? Here are the top six questions to ask when determining your organization’s risk of falling victim to today’s modern attacker.
Question 1: What is your current security infrastructure?
In many recent headline-generating attacks (Sony for example), it was reported that hackers were inside of these networks undetected for weeks and months. While common, this scope of infiltration can be limited through the use of effective security tools and monitoring. Finding hackers as soon as they breach your network allows damage to be minimized.
Question 2: Have you had an independent, 3rd party penetration test done?
Conducting independent, 3rd party penetration test (pen test) can be a real eye-opener. These tests allow organizations to see where their vulnerabilities are and address them (hopefully) before hackers can exploit them.
Question 3: Do you have a diverse and well-trained Info Sec Team?
One of the best ways to prepare for cyber attack is to make sure that you have a good in-house team to address Information Security. If an in-house team isn’t in the budget, it’s best to have qualified managed service providers or security consultants on retainer. Having the assistance of experts is vital in the development of security and incident response plans, and you’ll need someone to reach out to in the event of a confirmed breach.
Question 4: Are you looking at third-party risk?
Third party risk is becoming a huge part of an organization’s security program. Corporations both large and small are investing heavily in this new area of information security. Though even if you have a gold star security program, that doesn’t mean that your third-party partners do. Ensuring that all corporate partners and subcontractors who have access to your data or your network are engaging in good security practices is crucial.
Question 5: Do you have an incident response plan in place if hackers do get in?
History has shown that a well-motivated attacker can always get in. Making sure that you have a process in place to identify, remediate, and learn from an attack is key to preventing future attacks. This plan should include contacts for both state and federal law enforcement should your organization find itself the victim of ransomware or theft of sensitive customer information (personal data or financial information) or intellectual property.
Question 6: Do you make employees participate in yearly information security training?
Many of the largest hacks in recent news cycles have been as a result of successful phishing attacks. Training employees to identify potential social engineering or phishing efforts is crucial to prevent attacks. Making sure that employees receive yearly training which covers the most up to date information is vital. They are your first line of defense in the great cyber battle.
Moving Forward
To help ensure that your organization has the best defense to cyber attack, it’s best to contact a professional solutions provider. They can assist you with safeguarding your data and networks from the menacing hands of hackers.
