Offices Closed: Bad Actors are Celebrating
You may be looking forward to the upcoming holidays as a time to celebrate with family and friends. For many, offices close and give everyone a much-needed rest. This year is especially wonderful with the holidays falling on a Sunday because it means two long weekends in a row. What you may not be considering is that bad actors are celebrating with you - but for an entirely different reason. While you are thinking about closing your computer and logging out of your email as a healthy break, bad actors are relishing the opportunity to wreak havoc in your systems. Extra-long time away from your devices means an extended time to steal and ransom your data. So how do you prepare your organization even while the offices are closed so that you do not return to a security nightmare?
Ensure backups are functioning properly. Should your organization experience an attack your data can be restored without harm or having to pay a ransom. This will remove the power from the bad actor. Backups are only functioning properly if they can be restored. Don’t just ensure that your data is backed up, but also ensure that it could be properly restored should the need arise. Also, make sure that your backups are isolated from your main network so that the bad guys can’t just erase them.
Protect with patching. Patching your system protects you from security vulnerabilities. Patches are issued for operating systems or software when a known security issue is detected. Having an out-of-date system can expose you to risk and leave you open to bad actors. Reboot your PC and complete any outstanding updates.
Be vigilant against phishing attacks. You will probably sneak a peek at email even while the offices are closed. Be aware of impersonation attempts and phishing attacks. When a bad actor knows everyone is out of the office, he also knows that we are not as likely to check with colleagues or clients if we receive a sketchy email. If you receive an email that is “urgent” in nature, do not reply! Instead, pick up your phone and contact the sender. Bad actors want to catch you with your guard down.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA) should be enabled for all devices, applications, and websites that contain information that you are trying to protect. Make it difficult for bad actors to get into your systems. The more challenging you make it, the more likely it is a bad actor will move onto an easier target. If you do not have an MFA solution enabled throughout your organization, then everyone will need to enable it on their own systems. Another option is to contact your technology experts and implement a solution like Okta or WatchGuard for your entire organization.
Be alert, be prepared, and be protected. Then go enjoy that your offices are closed! Happy Holidays!
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