How Firms Can Improve Cyber Security

As the global list of companies suffering from major data breaches keeps getting longer, the importance of cybersecurity is once again emphasized.

19:32 28 October 2015

UK telecoms provider TalkTalk is the newest victim of cyber attack. It now belongs to the growing number of global companies that are inadequately protected against increasingly sophisticated hackers who are looking to extort money.

 

To improve firms cyber security, Technology of Business has canvassed cybersecurity experts for their views.

 

1.     Protect your data, not just the perimeter. Tom Patterson, general manager of global security solutions for IT services firm Unisys, said that building lots of little walls to protect crucial information will go along way. If the hackers break in, they will only access very limited information and thus will not create a huge damage.

 

 

 

2.     Know your data - Jason Hart, chief technology officer at digital security specialist, Gemalto, said: Know your data and utilise best practice data protection by attaching security directly to the data itself, “that way, if the data is stolen, it is useless to the thieves."

 

 

3.     Wake up to the insider threat - Gary Steele, boss of Proofpoint, a secure email specialist, encouraged business owners to pay attention to the risk posed, wittingly or unwittingly, by people inside the organisation. He said: "A company can spend millions on investments in security solutions, but all it takes is one click on one link by one employee, and the company is compromised.”

 

 

4.     Increase vigilance - Gavin Millard, technical director at Tenable Network Security said that monitoring the systems more effectively will do the trick. This includes the "patching of easily exploitable bugs, robust filtering of inbound and outbound communications, up-to-date malware defence, encryption of sensitive information, and a good password policy.”

 

 

5.     Get to grips with mobile – Experts say that staff should have limited access to critical data and systems when they’re using their mobile phone.

 

 

6.     Spend more money and time on cybersecurity.