What advice do you have for business owners around cybersecurity, given that many might not know how to secure their networks?

Mobius Partners provides cybersecurity solutions for all size organizations, from small and mid-size (SMB) businesses to large Fortune 500 enterprise companies. The growing trend of employees working remotely, especially due to COVID-19, has created significant challenges with securing corporate assets in an evolving landscape of electronic threats. Here are the basics of implementing a layered cybersecurity posture:

Perimeter & Network Defense:
Newer generation firewalls not only block malicious traffic from the outside to harden the network perimeter, but also improve internal security by looking for threats from within and isolating them. Firewalls should be configured to block known bad websites (pornography, phishing, etc.) using a content filtering system. Many organizations also restrict social media to mitigate threats and improve employee productivity, for example – only allowing Facebook during lunchtime. Ensure that WiFi networks are secure and governed by the same firewall content filtering controls, and always separate guest access from corporate traffic.

Endpoint protection:
Individual endpoints such as workstations and laptops should be protected with a centrally-managed suite of security protocols that include antivirus, antimalware, and browser/DNS protection so that threats can be identified and mitigated quickly before they spread. Do not use End-of-Life operating systems such as Windows7, as they are highly susceptible to attack since they no longer receive critical updates. Mobile devices such as cell phones and tablets should be managed and protected if used to access any corporate resources.

Email Defense:
Phishing and email threats are increasing in sophistication and destructive potential, so a good email security and spam filtering system is a must-have. If hosting with Office 365, we recommend enabling Advanced Threat Protection (ATP) at the highest level you can afford. Otherwise, utilize a reputable cloud-based spam and virus filtering solution. Many cloud-based solutions also offer additional features such as identity protection, Data Leak Prevention (DLP) to protect corporate or sensitive information, and archiving capabilities to backup emails indefinitely.

Passwords and Multi-Factor Authentication:
Enforce the use of complex passwords that contain a minimum of 10 characters and contain a combination of upper/lower case letters, numbers, and symbols. Passwords should not contain any combination of the company name, username, or common words that could be easily guessed. Passphrases work best. Utilize Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) as a secondary challenge measure. Note that text messaging codes can be compromised, therefore the most secure MFA method is using a mobile app such as Microsoft Authenticator.

Employee Security Awareness Training:
The best line of defense in most cases is a well-trained user who knows to practice safe computing. This means implementing a training system to teach them how to spot threats and report them to IT. Mobius Partners utilizes a simulated email phishing system to attempt to trick users into clicking links. Those who click (fail) are automatically enrolled in remedial training that includes media-rich content such as videos and interactive games to help them spot attacks in the future and learn safe computing habits. The program is highly effective.

Backups:
If all else fails (and you should assume it will), make sure that you are using a backup process that allows for both onsite and cloud-based replication and recovery. Mobius Partners backup solutions can even turn a failed server into a running virtual machine on a standby appliance, whether on-site or in the cloud, to cut downtime to nearly nothing. Backups should be monitored daily to validate their success and periodic test restores should be performed to confirm that recovery is possible.

Get HELP!
Let’s face it, all of this is a lot to manage and can be very distracting from your core business. Consult a trusted expert who can understand your unique needs and tailor the right solution to fit, so that you can get back to doing what you do best.

For more information or to schedule a strategy call, please contact:

Scott Gondesen
Director of SMB Solutions
scottg@mobiuspartners.com
281.948.3369

or chat with us in the lower right of your screen. You may also check out our Security & Analytics expertise here.