Simply put: Investing in strong cybersecurity can no longer be an “optional” part of a business plan.

With new technological developments and potential threats coming in every day, it can be tough for business owners to stay ahead of the game.

But, of course, sometimes the biggest challenge is simply getting started.

From our team of experts we have compiled a few things to know about cybersecurity plans that will help better secure your business.

The Cybersecurity Lifecycle

The cybersecurity lifecycle is an ongoing process of monitoring, mitigation, and implementation.

Our team uses five basic principles to help any business, regardless of size, scope or industry, to better understand what they want to protect and how to keep it protected.

The five basic principles of the cybersecurity lifecycle include:

1. Identify – Recognize and identify what is valuable in your company, whether that includes hard drives, sensitive data in your emails, or a number of other things.

2. Protect – Put systems and policies in place that better secure what you find valuable.

3. Detect – Build an IT infrastructure that monitors and manages attacks on your assets, whether physical or digital.

4. Respond –How your business reacts to and mitigates threats that are detected.

5. Recover – Be positioned to recover from incidents like theft, breaches, etc., and implement ways to improve safety measures to prevent future incidents.

Laying the Foundation

So, where does a business start in its cybersecurity journey?

The “Identify” principle is our answer. It is all about assessing and understanding your cybersecurity strengths and weaknesses in your day-to-day operation. This helps equip your team with a better understanding of the policies and procedures that are at the heart of your business.

The vital first step to better cybersecurity is to list out things that may impact your network’s security. Prioritize those items based on the level of potential impact (from most impactful to least impactful).

Common risks that may negatively impact your network security include:

  • Outdated security software or firewalls.
  • Malware, including trojans, viruses, spyware, etc.
  • Phishing or other social engineering attacks.

The Here and Now

When valuable data is jeopardized, immediate and effective action is an absolute must.

As your business aims to become more secure, it is important to understand how you currently respond to theft, breaches, hacking, etc.

And what about after a threat is mitigated?

If your team has ideas on what can be done to prevent another cybersecurity failure, is there a forum for them to share their ideas with management? Are there habits that the team can casually adopt to stay more secure, such as locking their screen when they leave their desk? Are team members willing to talk with one another about potential risks, like phishing emails?

Looking Ahead

No business is without its goals. To meet them you will need a clear understanding of exactly what those goals are, along with the resources and time you will need to accomplish them.

The road to becoming a more secure business is best paved with a variety of smaller actions and goals. Whether that is taking some time to build out new policies, conducting team-wide training, or even checking to make sure your security software is up to date– it all matters, and it all helps.

When you are looking to enhance your security, ask yourself: “What can we start doing this week?”

The Hamilton Method

Hamilton proudly helps a variety of businesses navigate their journey to becoming more secure.

Every business is unique, which means a unique plan designed to bolster your cybersecurity needs is a must.

With Hamilton, we take on the expertise and complexities of modern IT. We collaborate directly with you to build a technological infrastructure that most efficiently helps you accomplish your business goals. In building a relationship with you, we also help your team understand ways to keep your information safe and build a security culture within your company.

Hamilton covers everything you need to build a more modern, secure technology infrastructure. With 24x7x365 monitoring, regular vulnerability scanning and reporting, and even directly backing up your important data, our team of experts has your back. Learn about four no cost ways to improve your cybersecurity.

If you’re looking to upgrade your cybersecurity, take a look at our network management and defense capabilities, or consider looking at our full list of available services.

You can also contact us today to schedule a free consultation with our Nebraska-based team!