Cyber—both the word and the concept—has made its way into our vernacular, and we use it daily whether we’re discussing shopping, the latest data breach, or security issues at work. The sheer ubiquity of conducting elements of both our personal lives and business via computer has made it more important than ever to be aware of the risks we encounter each time we use or connect to a device.
What is Cyber Readiness?
Cyber readiness is an organization’s ability to identify, prevent, and respond to a significant cyber incident. Cyber threats include computer security breaches, phishing, malware attacks, and data theft. And these threats can come from inside or outside your company’s network.
Cyber readiness requires an organization to regularly develop, test, and validate its capabilities against cyber threats because both the systems your business uses and the potential threats out there continue to evolve.
Why Cyber Readiness is More Important than Ever Before
We rely on computer systems daily and extensively. In our personal lives, we use online banking, social media – there’s even an app for ordering pizza. In business, we have programs for inventory, client outreach, and HR systems. Company’s often store client and employee data, and the responsibility to protect others’ information should not be taken lightly.
Each one of these systems carries risk—whether it’s an enterprise-wide program or an app on your smartphone—and in many cases, these systems and programs work together, creating an opportunity for additional vulnerabilities. And given the wide-spread use of some of these systems, they’re an increasingly popular target with an increasing number of bad actors.
Many of us have experienced this on a personal level. Social media accounts get hacked or you mistakenly click on a link with malware. We’ve seen it (and been affected by it) on a large-scale corporate stage, too. The Colonial Pipeline was the victim of a ransomware attack that led to gas shortages up and down the east coast. Equifax, Anthem, Marriott, T-Mobile, and LinkedIn—to name only a very few—have each experienced cyberattacks that have exposed client data and cost the companies dearly. And the list is growing.
How to Remain Cyber Ready
So what can you do to increase your cyber readiness? At home, you can use strong passwords—with a different password for each online system—and update them periodically (and any time you’re concerned there’s been a breach). If you run a business, you can reach out to us. We have deep expertise in developing cyber readiness strategies and modernizing infrastructure, and we’re here to answer any questions you may have. Drop us a line at info@actnstrategies.com to learn more.