The Seven Pillars of Prevention

Malicious software (aka – malware) has grown into big business.  Today, the goal of a malware designer is to infect millions of computers in order to achieve “command and control” which instructs the infected computers to “phone home” to a centralized command center.  Once the infected computers have checked in, they start to accept and execute orders from their new leader.  Do you want your systems working for someone else?

It’s time to get serious about protecting your computers in order to protect your valuable information.  Unfortunately, there is no single “silver bullet”.  Instead, we must employ “Defense-in-Depth” which is a strategy based on layers of protection.

  1. Patching/Updates – It has been reported that 90% of infections could be prevented by simply keeping your systems up-to-date with security patches.  Whether you use a PC or a Mac, it is imperative that you keep your system current.  Malware targets computer systems that have vulnerabilities that have not been patched.  Be aware that malware also targets applications on your system that have vulnerabilities.  Strive to keep ALL your applications current as well as the operating system.
  2. Anti-virus – Good anti-virus software will prevent you from opening files that are infected.  While nothing is bullet-proof, it is important to use reputable anti-virus software on your machines.
  3. Spam filtering – Email provides an easy way to introduce malware by convincing the recipient that action must be taken based on the content of the email.  An effective spam filter will prevent most of these emails from finding their way into your inbox.
  4. Cloud-based malware protection – This type of protection prevents the user from falling prey to a phishing scam or prevents the user from visiting a website that has a known infection that can be spread.  By blocking access to these types of sites, another layer of protection is enforced.
  5. Monitoring – Security is not something that you can typically “set it and forget it”.  You must monitor the above items to be sure they are working properly.
  6. Passwords – We’ve all heard this over and over.  But do we practice safe password creation?  Strong password management is key!
  7. Due diligence – As mentioned above, nothing is bullet-proof.  Hackers are smart people.  They’re constantly finding new ways to steal your sensitive information.  You need to remain diligent at all times.  Ignorance is not bliss.  It can lead to significant financial loss.

Cyber Solutions values your protection.  We have a blueprint that is designed to protect you using a “Defense-in-Depth” strategy based on the Seven Pillars above.  This strategy is affordable for any size business and is available with both our Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus managed service plans.

Call us today at 651.209.3120 for more information!