Health and wellbeing business cyber security top tips

Always have a backup

Backing up your data can help make sure you have your essential information at hand should the worse happen. Identifying your key digital assets will help you ensure the most important information your business needs to run is secured in an additional location. 

Key assets to backup include: 

•    Client contacts 
•    Emails 
•    Business documents

Keeping your backed up files on a separate USB, computer or drive that isn’t accessible to staff or connected to the original copy can help make certain your copy isn’t compromised by ransomware on the original source. Keeping copies in a different physical location is also beneficial for unforeseen events such as fire, flood and theft. 

Utilising cloud storage is a helpful alternative to a physical backup and most make backups automatically for easy upkeep. 

Protect your business from malware

Malware can be hidden in plain sight and viruses can be hard to detect as they mimic the software they infect. Fortunately, there are a few ways to protect you and your team from malware:

•    Installing or turning on your systems antivirus software 
•    Download apps directly from the app store such as Google Play and never from links you are unfamiliar with 
•    Keep your devices up to date with the latest updates and software 
•    Train your team on how to recognise phishing and email scams with regular training.

Multi-factor identification

Setting up multi-factor identification can help secure the devices that have your business’s essential data. 

There are five main types of multi-factor identification recommended by the National Cyber Security Centre:

•    FIDO2 credentials 
•    Challenge-based authenticator apps
•    App-based code generators
•    Hardware-based code generators
•    Message-based methods.

 

FIDO2 credentials

FIDO2 is a very secure but user-friendly way of doing multi-factor authentication.

FIDO2 multi-factor ID means:

•    You prove who you are using a special digital key stored on your laptop, phone, or a small security device
•    That key only works after you unlock it locally with something like your PIN, fingerprint, or Face ID.

Challenge based authenticator apps

Challenge-based authentication is a key-based login method where a trusted app on your phone or device receives a prompt from the service. You prove it’s really you by approving or matching the prompt in the app like a push notification or number match in an authenticator app.

App-based code generators

App-based code generation is a common way to log in that uses an approved app on your phone (or other trusted device) to create one-time passcodes.

When you first set it up, the website and your app share a secret (often by scanning a QR code). After that, the app uses this secret to generate the login codes you type in.

Hardware-based code generators

Hardware-based code generation uses a physical device or token to create one-time passcodes.

The online service and the token are linked using a list of secrets matched to each token’s serial number. All these secrets are stored together in one place, which can make this method weaker than using an app on a trusted device. 

Message-based methods

Message-based authentication works by sending a message (usually with a code) to a contact detail that’s already been checked, like your phone number or email. Entering that code shows you currently have access to that contact, which makes a normal password login stronger.