Boosting Cyber Security for the New Year: 3 Essential Steps for Success

As the year comes to a close, it's important to focus on setting our customers up for success in the upcoming year. One major aspect of this process is reviewing your business's current cyber security processes and taking all necessary measures to ensure your business has protection in the new year.

In this blog, we have selected the three most important processes that cover the broadest areas of security and offer mitigation for the highest amount of risk. For a comprehensive list of end-of-year measures, you can download our free checklist!

Security Audit and Review 

Performing an extensive cyber security audit is the most important part of your end-of-year tasks. This audit helps you to identify any vulnerabilities, assess the effectiveness of your current security measures, and guide you in prioritising the fixes and upgrades required to strengthen your security posture. It provides you with a comprehensive view of your cyber security health, bringing to light the areas that need your immediate attention. 

Update and Patch Systems 

Keeping all systems up to date with the latest patches is crucial. While throughout the year updates and patches are sometimes shunted aside as workers prioritise productivity, the end of the year is the perfect time to remind everyone to restart and update their devices as well as perform any company-wide software updates while many people are offline.  

This step helps address the most common and easily exploitable security weaknesses. Many cyber-attacks target known vulnerabilities in outdated software. Regular updates close these security gaps, making it harder for attackers to penetrate your systems. 

Employee Training and Awareness 

Human error or ignorance is often the weakest link in cyber security. Providing robust training and awareness programs for your employees significantly reduces the risk of successful phishing attacks, malware spread, and other user-related security breaches. It empowers your workforce to act as a first line of defense against cyber threats. 

To ensure a smooth and secure year ahead, it's important to prepare your business for potential threats. Follow these three steps to ensure you're ready for most situations. For comprehensive coverage and more thorough preparation, take a look at our checklist which covers all aspects of cyber security. Stay prepared!