Now that we’ve made it through the holidays and into the coldest part of the winter, let’s brighten things up by discussing some easy resolutions you and your team can make this year to reach your cybersecurity goals!

To make a resolution stick, experts agree it should be structured around habits and behaviors, not lofty, pie-in-the-sky wishes or outcomes. If your goal is to be more financially responsible, for instance, they suggest resolving to create a weekly budget that you follow religiously.

Similarly, if you make a resolution for your business, structure it around habits and real, measurable outcomes. Don’t just resolve to get your IT in order, or get your data more secure. Success for these goals isn’t easily measured, so try for something a little more pinpointed.

I challenge you to choose one of the following resolutions for you and your team, and write them down.

Why write them down? Often, a resolution is just a wish until you write it down—then it becomes a goal.

Even if you only choose one of the following goals, these small changes can make a big difference in your company’s security.

Conduct weekly, monthly, or quarterly security training with your team. We have videos you can share with your team, or we can provide written resources that you can teach from.

Why do this?

1. Human error remains the number one cause of data breach in the U.S., and security awareness training has been proven to be an effective defense strategy against it.
2. Topics include: identifying phishing emails and how to report them, BYOD (bring your own device) policies and how to navigate them, how to create strong passwords, and how to prevent physical access to your network.
3. Training only takes a few minutes and can save you incredible amounts of time and money!

If you’re still using the same password for multiple accounts, resolve to change them to a unique value as you visit each site.

Why do this?

1. Password breaches remain a leading way hackers access your data.
2. This only takes a couple minutes per site, and by the end of the year, you will have more security across the web.
3. You may want to start with a dark web scan from Facet to see which, if any, of your passwords have been involved in hacks, and change those first.
4. Ask your IT department or IT provider for a password storage recommendation. There are many methods, physical and electronic, for storing passwords. Some are more secure than others, but can be inconvenient, so it’s important to find a method that works for you. Remember that no password storage method is 100% failproof.

Implement an MFA (multi-factor authentication) strategy.

Why do this?

1. MFA is easy to implement and has a HUGE security payoff. By simply tapping a quick push notification on any mobile device, users can prevent attacks on your company’s network.
2. No longer a lengthy or obtrusive practice, MFA is simple “gate” you can put up to protect from intruders and hackers.
3. Contact us today for more information on MFA and our other security suite offerings.

Increasing security can feel like an overwhelming task to undertake, but you can make real progress one step at a time.

Facet Technologies specializes in managed services and IT in Peoria, IL, surrounding areas, and nationwide. We can find a security solution that works for you, offering firewalls and other hardware appliances, security software, dark web scanning, and more.

Fill out our contact form below to find out more about our Security Suite and set up an audit of your network security.