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Cybersecurity is a widespread issue across multiple industries. Cyberthreat reports indicate that many companies have been targeted by hackers or been subject to data breaches. One report states that 68% of all organizations in the education industry reported being subject to a data breach over the last year, and 67% of schools had reported being attacked by phishing scams.

Nearly 40% of businesses in the US experienced cyberattacks in 2021. With the cost of recovering from these attacks rising (nearly $3 million on average) and the frequency and complexity of these attacks also increasing, it’s more important than ever for enterprise organizations to create a plan and prepare for these issues.

In this article let’s look at the need for enterprise cybersecurity and how to get started.

Why do enterprise companies need extra security?

Today’s enterprise IT solutions are much more complicated than traditional security. You can’t just put a firewall around on premise hardware, because it is complex and there are many different ways hackers can get in.

While people outside of the company are still the primary cause for much of the attacks, 25% of breaches are now caused by careless employees or even malicious insiders and most companies have an IT infrastructure that’s a mix of old systems, new applications and either public or private cloud-based solutions.

What enterprise cybersecurity really means

Enterprise cybersecurity is used to protect data on the cloud, and old cybersecurity tactics weren’t designed to protect data on the cloud.

To ensure a company’s security, protection must be across on-premise and cloud-based infrastructure as well as vetting third parties. Another important part of cybersecurity is protecting new connections coming to your network.

Why is enterprise cybersecurity such a difficult challenge?

IoT devices like smart cities and connected factories are quickly becoming a norm. Many businesses that rely on IoT networks will experience data hacks without proper security measures in place.

Businesses need data to both engage with their customers and automate their internal processes. But cybercriminals understand exactly how valuable data is, so crimes like ransomware and phishing are increasing. You want to train your employees of the most common mistakes that will lead to cybersecurity issues.

When security breaches occur in a company, the results are costly and devastating. In order to protect your company, you need cybersecurity that goes beyond simply creating a perimeter. With the growing threat, new needs arise for robust enterprise cybersecurity.

5 Steps to Improve Enterprise Cybersecurity

Now that you understand the difference between enterprise cybersecurity and traditional cybersecurity, let’s look at the the top 5 things you can do today to improve it.

Boundaries

You must have a set of boundaries for your assets; each object is protected by information safeguards, such as your data on a local hard drive or the cloud.

Mirroring the changes in cloud computing and the Internet of Things, boundaries have become a more significant issue. Before, local IT staff would safeguard valuable information assets through on-site storage and copying.

When you’re sharing data with a third-party cloud server, there needs to be boundaries in place. Every type of transferable data must have a boundary and, for example, when your company is using different devices for downloading, editing, and uploading, those must also be protected from all possible methods of interception.

Software policies

The second component of enterprise information security is the software environment. Define the purpose and policies for each form of software within your company system. If a software program falls out of use or is old, it should be removed from the system.

When you are defining your environment, you can choose what type of software is allowed to contact the network. If your organization has a lot of employees who come from various devices and have various levels of access to computers and the company’s systems, be aware that any accessible software might pose a threat to your company’s computer system.

To constantly update your software security, you need to make sure you are installing updates and patches, and scanning your devices regularly. These programs are essential to keep your company up to date with the latest trends in technology.

Network security

Step 1: Identify the network environment and boundaries. Step 2: Harden any assets that connect to the network.

To harden your system, scrutinize and test every device for vulnerabilities. If a third party can break one of the devices, reprogram or remove it from the system. Likewise, fix software or cloud protocols which expose private data.

If your network is more secure, it may be less functional. One possible solution is to take the safest steps possible while still maintaining the functionality of your company’s operations.

Plan for vulnerabilities

Although endpoint cybersecurity is often good, there are target vulnerabilities in software programs. Cyber thieves exploit new program patches and updates – it’s important to ultimately stay ahead by staying updated on new methods that cyber thieves use.

Ensure that a security risk or system hole is patched up as soon as it’s discovered. This will prevent your company’s computing network from being vulnerable and unsecured.

You don’t know a data breach is happening until it takes place for a long time. If you want to speed up the process of discovering and correcting a breach in your system, then use an effective remediation plan. Hackers can access your sensitive data for months before someone notices the danger.

Controlled access

Once you have determined who is supposed to have administrative access, you can then cut off their entrance point and prevent hackers or cyber thieves from getting in that way. It is crucial to review the current level of access and determine who has authorized levels of access.

Take a look at the credentials of your employees assigned admin privileges. If they don’t require these abilities, remove them. There should be an exception for someone who plays an important administrative function and requires limited access to this area.

Ready to take the next step?

We-Bridge curates the best enterprise cybersecurity products that will keep your company protected from cyberattacks and breaches. Take a look at our product offerings on our website or schedule a demo today to learn more.