It’s simple to be drawn to the most recent tool or “shiny object” in the headlines as advanced threats continue to change and intensify. The issue with legacy infrastructure and products is highlighted by the fact that 80% of threats and vulnerabilities are thought to be older than a year. Use IT best practices that preserve IT health and resilience to prevent or mitigate security issues.

This article discusses the difficulties in practicing cyber hygiene, security, the advantages of doing so, and how MSPs might suggest doable actions to practice good cyber hygiene.

Cyber hygiene, what is it?

Cyber hygiene involves repetition and habit, much like brushing your teeth. Protective practices strengthen policies and user conduct that safeguard sensitive consumer data. Fundamentals of cybersecurity are always relevant in the face of fast development.

Obstacles to Cyber Hygiene Abound

Combating new and emerging cyber risks while retaining legacy systems and IT procedures can be difficult to reconcile. Despite having far fewer resources, small-to-medium-sized businesses (SMBs) must contend with the same dangers as larger companies.

Increase the effectiveness of security operations by balancing technology and practices for cyber hygiene. For instance, maintaining excellent user password procedures lowers the risks associated with authentication. MSSPs are in a good position to give advice to SMBs on solutions and best practices including automation and repeatable results.

Good Practices Protect Users and Data

To create best practices and an operational routine for cyber hygiene, the following stages are essential:

  • Implement device hardening: Consistently patch vulnerabilities, disable unused ports and protocols, and turn off unnecessary functions.
  • Include MFA (Multi-Factor Authentication): Utilize MFA to restrict access to your network and resources. Although almost all vendors now provide MFA, many businesses choose not to go the extra mile and apply them.
  • Users should be constantly reminded to be cautious and consider their options before they click.
  • Use recommended configuration techniques: According to Verizon, configuration mistakes are at blame for 52% of data mishaps. Enhance resilience and security to reduce configuration drift over time.
  • Segment the Networks: By splitting your network into several sections, you may prevent a single point of failure and hinder hackers’ ability to roam about in consumer networks.
  • Enable device logging: Occasionally, logging for both devices and applications is disabled by default. In order to discover potential network security threats and questionable user behavior for troubleshooting, a Security Information and Event Management (SIEM) system correlates logs.
  • Remove unneeded software and hardware: Consolidate your tech vendors to improve security, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
  • Continually watch: What you cannot see cannot be controlled or protected. Continuous protections against both internal and external dangers are offered via comprehensive visibility and monitoring.

More advanced technology, knowledgeable personnel, and thorough incident response are needed today than in previous years to combat advanced threats. The Managed Threat Protection service from CYB3R-X offers an integrated strategy in addition to stand-alone options. Learn more at CYB3R-X about the benefits of co-managed security.