Cybersecurity is an increasingly relevant topic in all areas of life, both business and personal. For companies, cyber risks are increasing all the time. As per Check Point Research (CPR), an organisation in India is being attacked on average 1,742 times per week in the last six months, compared to 1,167 attacks per organisation globally. Here’s the interesting bit: A recent World Economic Forum report revealed that 95% of cybersecurity problems are caused by human error, and if you add the global cyber skills shortage to the mix, then you have the perfect storm for a cybercriminal.
In light of this, some organisations have started to implement cyber initiatives for their employees. For example, Santander, a multinational financial services company, recently launched an incentive scheme whereby employee responses to phishing attacks are considered as part of the overall company bonus policy. Having staff that are well trained in cyber hygiene is one of the best foundations for good cybersecurity, feels Check Point Software Technologies.
“Most cyberattacks occur because of human error so it is in their hands to improve cybersecurity, both at home and at work. This is an essential activity in which we all have a part to play,” says Sundar Balasubramanian, MD at Check Point Software, India & SAARC. “The term ‘If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem’ fits perfectly when it comes to cybersecurity and users.”
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To avoid becoming a victim of phishing, malware and ransomware, Check Point recommends:
Enable two-factor authentication: Sign into your accounts with both a password and one other method. It could be a question, biometric data or a one-time code sent to your device
Use strong passwords: Using the same keyword for everything, or simple combinations such as “123456” or “password”, is making it too easy for cybercriminals. There are now a multitude of platforms that can generate strong, difficult-to-guess passwords with upper- and lower-case letters, numbers and symbols. Although we can also create them ourselves, it’s important to remember to use different combinations for each service.
Learn how to recognise phishing: When an attacker sends a phishing email, there are usually some common identifiable traits such as misspellings or the fact that it asks for credentials to be entered.
A company will never ask for a customer’s credentials on email. If in doubt, always go to the official page or platform of the company you want to access.
Always keep software updated: It is always advisable to update to the latest version of a company’s software as this is the way that they correct security errors of previous versions.
