Following Russian incursion into Ukrainian territory we should all take this as an advanced warning to ensure our cyber security is secure.

Following Russian incursion into Ukrainian territory we should all take this as an advanced warning to ensure our cyber security is secure.

The National Cyber Security Centre has advised organisations to enhance their cyber security offerings. This is because of a history of cyber attacks following such incursions as we are seeing in Ukraine at the moment. Whilst there has not been any evidence of this occurring yet, we should not sit back and wait until it does. Please read more about our cyber security offering through our partner Fortinet.

Research shows that 91% of cyber incidents that occur inside an organisation are caused by some form of human error such as inadvertently clicking a spearphishing email. Privileged access abuse is linked to an estimated 80% of data breaches. In a world where the odds are heavily tipped in favor of cyber adversaries, data security must take precedence. Whilst there are some who think that a firewall is enough to protect against threats, we must all be educated on cyber threats and how best to defend against them.

Some of the things you can do to protect your business are;

Here are some of the things you can make sure you are doing to stay cyber-secure, Fortinet products will many of these immediately, however there are practices here we can make sure we are all doing.

• Phishing emails are still prevalent, make sure staff have a process to report anything they see that could be critical. Do NOT open links from unknown sources and provide information, even if the email has come from a seemingly known source.
• Ensure that there is an offline backup and that this is done recently so that it will be useful if you are hacked. This MUST be password protected to best protect against ransomware.
• NEVER leave your devices open and unattended, even when in a seemingly safe space.
• Be aware of shoulder surfing from people within your organisation.
• Report all suspicious packages do not open them.
• Keep passwords UNIQUE and NOT shared across other accounts. A leak of information from other accounts could compromise your internal systems.
• Ensure firewalls are installed properly and have up to date rules running as had been set. Fortigate will make sure you are always protected.
• When storing your devices make sure it is either turned off or in airplane mode.
• STRONG passwords are also essential, make sure they are a different combination of random uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters that is difficult to guess, even for someone who knows personal details of your life.
• Take care against JUICE JACKING, this is particularly common in remote working scenarios such as train stations, airports or conference areas. Do not log into unknown wifi, and be careful when using remote plugs, as malware can be installed directly to your device.
• Ensure ALL devices and firmware of all employees are patched, with updates turned on to remain up to date against the latest threats.
• TURN OFF bluetooth and automatic connections.
• Encrypt ALL sensitive data and communication paths.
• Internet facing services are a common target from cyber criminals and so these MUST be protected.
• Ensure ALL accounts are reviewed with any old accounts removed, these are often left and can act as an easy way in for hackers.
• Employ multi factor authentication. With mobile devices these are easy to set up and particularly easy to use.
• Make sure your external internet facing data is correct and up to date, with all domain registration is held securely.

How Fortinet can Help

A Fortigate connects perfectly with Fortinmanager and a variety of other Fortinet products to not only give you protection, but also lets you know what is happening. With AI involved Fortinet is learning how best to defend against you, and with its Sandbox technology, you are protected against even the most convincing looking attacks.

For more about Fortinet and how DES can assist your cyber-security needs get in touch today.