Cybersecurity Checklist for a Safer 2022 

Cybersecurity will continue to be a significant concern in 2022 as threats and ransomware reports have had a sharp upturn over the last two years. 

There are myriad items to consider in the quest for cybersecurity hygiene, but here’s a few to contemplate:

Instill a business-first security mindset. I believe that security is an enabler to making companies go faster. A business-first mentality enables stakeholders to lead the digital transformation and adopt a modern workplace without compromising security or business continuity. It’s about arming CISOs with everything that’s needed to drive action on the ground.

Secure the cloud. Many companies assume cloud security for their data falls under the responsibility of their Cloud Service Provider (CSP), but that’s not always the case. Businesses leveraging cloud services who experience a breach still must manage the reputation and financial fallout, whether it was their “fault” or not. Cloud Customers should implement both technical (like data encryption) and administrative controls (policy and procedures) based upon the type of cloud architecture in use.

Know the business’s talent and security gaps. Security deficiencies are costing businesses billions of dollars in losses. Businesses lacking staff or training put themselves at a higher risk and should determine when a trusted MSSP, like Avertium, could assist with skills or cycles gaps.

Employee training. Eighty-eight percent of data breach incidents are caused by employee mistakes. A report by Infosec indicates that about 97% of the people in the world cannot identify a phishing email, while 1 in 25 people click such emails, thus falling prey to cyberattacks. These mistakes can take manpower and deep pockets to get out of.

Paul Caiazzo, CISO is SVP of Corporate Communications with Avertium, a leading Managed Security Service Provider that serves as a trusted advisor as well as providing products and services to protect companies large and small from ransomware, threats, various malware attacks and malicious behavior that cyber criminals employ.