The best cybersecurity tools to protect your business from cyber attacks

Cyber threats, such as ransomware and phishing attacks, are occurring every day and put businesses at risk of monetary extortion and business interruption. Cyber threats are constantly evolving, and new tactics used to infiltrate your network appear every day. Within the last quarter of this year alone, 6,000 new vulnerabilities were detected. These vulnerabilities are doorways that hackers seek out to gain access to your network.  

Having preventive measures in place on your network is one of the best ways to keep cyber attacks from compromising your business. As a managed service provider, we require certain cybersecurity tools to be in place to maintain the safest environment for clients. If you are unsure of where to begin when it comes to your cybersecurity, here are some of the best tools recommended by our team of IT experts to implement to mitigate the risk of a successful cyber attack.

1. Firewalls:

Firewalls are one of the most basic forms of protection that you need for your organization’s security. A firewall is a security device that acts as a form of protection between your internal network and outside traffic. It monitors everything and everyone trying to gain access to your network to keep out suspicious or unrecognized sources. 

Firewalls ensure that the only traffic allowed into your network is what you have requested and has proved to be a valid, trustworthy source. This is similar to having a lock on the door of your house- it isn’t something you would question having. 

A lock is the only way to ensure intruders don’t get in unless you have allowed them entry. A firewall is an easy way to ensure that your network has verified any access to mitigate the risk of any cyber threats. It is critical to have a firewall to ensure you have that first line of defense against network infiltrators. 

1. Antivirus Software: 

Antivirus software is used to monitor your network for suspicious behavior and block or remove threats as soon as they appear. This is critical to the protection of your network from malicious software and viruses. 

Now more than ever, the digital world has made downloading files and documents an everyday instance people don’t second guess. More often than not, we click to download something without knowing that there is a virus attached. 

Clicking on a link or file that contains a virus or malicious software is an easy way for someone to get onto your network and cause damage or steal files. Antivirus software is another layer of protection to block and save you from the future headaches of accidentally downloading something that could have a virus in it.

It is the closest thing to ensuring that downloading files is not putting your network or your company’s security at risk. Antivirus will ensure that you can carry out your normal day-to-day activities with limited risk of downloading a virus that could spread to all your machines. 

1. Multi-Factor Authentication: 

Multi-factor authentication, MFA, is a method that requires two or more factors verification factors to gain access to a resource, device, or application. This is quickly becoming a security tool that many companies require.  

The most common forms of MFA occur when you log in. You will likely need to verify your identity by a pin sent to another device, a fingerprint or face scan, or even answer personal security questions that only pertain to you. 

MFA ensures that if you were ever to fall victim to a phishing scam or have your login credential compromised, the hacker would not be able to gain access unless they can get through the other level(s) of authentication. 

MFA makes it difficult for a hacker to gain access to your systems through a targeted user. Since the application or device will notify you of someone trying to access your device or application, you can quickly change your login credentials to ensure they are stopped in their tracks.

MFA is critical for businesses to have in place for all their users to help prevent any of their information from being compromised. These multiple layers of defense help to ensure the security of the user and your business’s confidential information. 

1. Cybersecurity Insurance: 

Cyber insurance covers your business’ liability in the event of a data breach that involves sensitive information regarding you or your clients. Similar to health insurance, you may think you will never need it, but in the unfortunate event that something does occur, you will be happy you do. Cyber insurance can put your mind at ease when you lie in bed restless thinking about those “what if?” moments. 

Cyber insurance covers legal fees and expenses correlated to a data breach. Your cyber insurance will also help cover the following; notify clients in the event of a data breach, help restore and recover data, and repair damaged computer systems. You and your team should thoroughly assess the policy to ensure you are aware of what exactly is and isn’t covered in the case of a data breach. 

1. Cybersecurity Training:

When it comes to cybersecurity, one of the most important things you can do is train your employees on threat detection best practices. So many cyber attacks occur simply due to human error. It doesn’t take a malicious person to accidentally click on an email that’s embedded with a virus. Cyber-attacks happen very frequently, every 11 seconds to be exact. 

A simple accidental click on a malicious file or phishing email can put your entire company at risk. Your employees must be trained on the latest cyberattacks so that they know how to recognize and avoid them. Cyber security training should occur at a minimum yearly, but many companies perform them quarterly and even monthly to ensure their users stay alert. 

The training can help your team identify a legitimate email from a phishing email and make them well equipped to avoid cyber attacks. Simulated phishing campaigns can help you gauge how your team is doing identifying phishing emails and which team members require additional training.  

1. Penetration Testing:

Penetration testing is when you hire a cybersecurity firm to use the tools and techniques as a hacker-in-the-wild to identify vulnerabilities before a malicious actor can exploit them. Another term for this type of hacker is an ethical hacker. 

Penetration testing is a proactive approach to improving your security year after year and threat after threat. It is a great way to test your current cybersecurity tools and enhance them based on your penetration assessment, which will come with recommendations labeled as critical, high, medium, or low. This is a great way to ensure that your business is constantly alert to any vulnerabilities that could open the door to a potential data breach. 

1. Managed IT Services: 

Hiring a managed IT services provider, MSP, allows third-party complete management of your network infrastructure, end-user support, backup, and security. When an MSP is chosen, they assume full access and responsibility to run diagnostics on your networks and monitor your environment for threats. 

The MSP will point out security threats, map out the network infrastructure, and make recommendations about your network capabilities to streamline your business. An MSP will constantly monitor your network, ensuring that it is running smoothly and protected from suspicious activity or breaches. This allows your company to have one less thing to worry about with day-to-day operations and provide you with long-term IT strategies.

Are you looking to enhance your cybersecurity? 

Cyber attacks are continually evolving and getting harder to recognize. You must have a variety of tools in place to ensure there are multiple lines of defense to keep your business safe. Proactive monitoring, antivirus software, user training, and outsourced cybersecurity services are quickly becoming insurance requirements for many companies, or they may be seen as a liability to work with. 

Hiring an MSP provides an excellent option for enhancing your cybersecurity tools and creating a more proactive security approach. Don’t know where to start? 

As an MSP, we work with clients that want a fully outsourced IT experience. We ensure that our clients are covered on all IT fronts and can rest assured knowing their business utilizes all cybersecurity best practices. If you are looking to learn more about outsourcing IT, check out this article: What Is Fully Managed IT (How it works and why you need it)