Malware stands for ‘malicious software’. There are different types of malware that cybercriminals & hackers use for attacking businesses in particular – ransomware, spyware, adware, worms, viruses, and trojan horse, to name a few. There are typical purposes of malware –
- To steal personal info, sensitive business data
- For business-related espionage
- For attacking further on IT frameworks and networks
- To get a ransom
Can your company prevent malware attacks?
There are a few proactive steps that businesses can take to prevent malware attacks. Here’s a quick list worth considering –
- Update all firmware, software & apps to the latest version
- Update operating systems
- Ensure hardware access is limited, including access to video surveillance systems
- Ask your employees to create long and strong passwords
- Passwords must have special characters, uppercase & lowercase letters
- Recommend a password management tool for your employees.
- Encrypt data where possible
- Train your employees on social engineering, common malware threats and attacks
- Review your cybersecurity policies from time to time.
- Invest in quality antimalware, antivirus, and anti-spyware software.
Other steps to consider
Placing networked assets and resources behind firewalls is another good way to keep hackers at bay. If your company can divide network resources on subnetworks, network segmentation, also called firebreak, can help in reducing the impact of a malware attack, if one happens. Many businesses have still not defined an incident response plan, which is critical for controlling the damage following an attack. The access to company resources, assets, networked devices has to be monitored in real time, and it is necessary for companies to have an Identity & Access management tool, which allows them to edit, update, add, and revoke access rights when needed.
The road ahead
Malware attacks are preventable. It just takes a more proactive stance towards managing risks, and an organization that’s aware of such risks and doesn’t mind spending cybersecurity measures wouldn’t have a hard time preventing hackers from attacking systems and networks. It is important to understand that security concerns extend beyond compliance, and it is more than necessary to be a step ahead in creating protocols, so that everyone within the organization knows what to do, in their respective roles. If required, hire the security community, consider having bug bounty programs, and ensure that your business has scheduled scans and penetration testing.
No two organizations are same, but threats famed by them with regards to security are often very similar.
