[BreachExchange] Six Tech Tips For Your Summer IT Bucket List

[Audrey McNeil]

http://www.hedgeco.net/blogs/2017/08/09/six-tech-tips-for-
your-summer-it-bucket-list/

Summer is a great time to catch up on old projects, get ahead on
fall/winter planning, and check off those bucket list items you’ve had your
sights set on. On the technology front, it’s the perfect time to try out
some new technologies and get organized.

Here are a few ideas for your summer IT bucket list:

Get security-organized.

When was the last time you changed your passwords? Have you performed a
vulnerability test yet this year? To prevent internal and external
cyber-attacks, your firm needs to have a plan in place around
cybersecurity. There are a number of deliverables to keep track of, so we
recommend using this handy cybersecurity calendar to stay on top of tests,
assessments and recommendations.

Implement a MDM solution.

The Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend has rapidly expanded over the past
several years, providing firms with cost savings, allowing for flexibility,
and increasing employee satisfaction. As the trend continues, it is
important for firms to implement a defined policy around BYOD and mobile
device management. There are a number of reputable MDM vendors in the
marketplace; summer is a good time to do some research and ensure your
firm’s plan meets your mobile technology needs.

Try new technologies.

If you’ve received a suspicious email asking you to change your password or
transfer money to an unknown account, you understand what it’s like to be
at the receiving end of a phishing scam. Fortunately, there are tools your
firm can try to train users to become more aware of these threats before
they cause damage to your organization. Managed phishing simulation tools
are an effective way to test your users’ knowledge of common phishing
tricks. We recommend performing these tests at least every 3-6 months –
either by your firm or a managed service provider.

Get rid of dirty data.

Summer is the perfect time to clean out those buried folders stashed on
your PC. Incomplete, outdated and duplicate data living within your systems
can lead to vulnerabilities you may not be aware of. Read more on dirty
data and data hygiene best practices here.

Backup your data.

With cyber threats growing exponentially, conducting regular backups is a
critical method protecting your sensitive data and assets. As we’ve seen
with recent ransomware attacks (e.g. WannaCry & Petya), when files and
stolen and encrypted, the only way to recover them is through backup files.

Plan for the future.

While all of the above are crucial bucket list items for your firm, it is
also important to plan for the future. When things are slow in the
summertime, use those extra hours for planning and spend time visualizing
where you want your firm to be down the road. On the technology front,
planning for the next 1-3 years is advised to prevent easily outgrowing
your IT systems and to avoid future disruptions.

As summer nears its end, it is imperative that your firm is cyber-ready,
has clean data and future plans in place. This is a good time to catch up
on these bucket list items as we prepare for the busy fall season.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.riskbasedsecurity.com/pipermail/breachexchange/attachments/20170810/d67ecede/attachment.html>