Since cybersecurity is a hot topic, you might assume your customers already know how to keep their businesses secure. In reality, cybersecurity isn’t on everyone’s radar, and all too often poor cyber health plagues organizations. Increasing employee knowledge on cybersecurity practices can cause a 30% decrease to security risks. Start working with your customers on securing their network by using unique passwords, updating their firmware and creating a plan to prevent attacks. Since cybersecurity is a hot topic, you might assume your customers already know how to keep their businesses secure. In reality, cybersecurity isn’t on everyone’s radar, and all too often poor cyber health plagues organizations.
Increasing employee knowledge on cybersecurity practices can cause a 30% decrease to security risks.¹ Start working with your customers on securing their network by using unique passwords, updating their firmware and creating a plan to prevent attacks.
1. Use unique passwords
Passwords are the most common way that a hacker can gain unauthorized access into an unsecured network. Over 80% of cyber attacks are perpetrated via weak or stolen passwords², so make sure your customers are changing default passwords to ones that are strong and unique.
A password that’s just a single common word or name is cracked within seconds regardless of length. Passwords should also be managed correctly, as a good amount of cyber attacks are carried out by insiders.
Sometimes passwords are given to everyone in an organization when only a few people should have access. Decrease your customers’ chance of an attack with these simple password tips.
2. Keep firmware and software up-to-date
Is firmware worth the hassle of updating even if it performs normally? Yes. Firmware updates don’t only fix performance-related issues, they remove bugs and fix flaws in operating systems that can put an organization at risk for a cyber attack.
Hackers can exploit vulnerabilities in older software and firmware, so keeping firmware up-to-date is critical to keeping information and assets secure. The time it takes to update firmware and software on a system is a minor inconvenience compared to the damage that could happen.
3. Create a plan
With a cybersecurity plan in place, your customers will lower their chances of an attack. Conducting a risk analysis of potential threats and damages is a good start. Asking some simple questions can start the conversation, such as:
What needs to be protected?
Who/what are the threats and vulnerabilities?
What are the implications if assets are damaged or lost?
What is the value to the organization?
Once the basics are discussed, a plan can be formulated with topics like password protocol, employee training, criteria when choosing new network equipment, monitoring access logs and devices, and a response strategy if a breach were to occur.
The extra time you take to invest in the safety of your customers will help to strengthen your relationship.
This is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to protecting your customers against cyber attacks. Check out Axis Communications’ Top 10 Cybersecurity recommendations for even more measures to take with your customers.
¹2015 Global Megatrends in Cybersecurity (Rep.). (2015). Ponemon Institute LLC. Conducted by: Ponemon Institute©
²Verizon’s 2017 Data Breach Investigations Report. (2017). Verizon.
