How to Know You Need a Cybersecurity Audit Now
In the present age, cyber attacks and threats have increased enormously. Anti-malware scanners have become less efficient, and hackers have developed new sophisticated ways of attacking computer systems with vital information. Our devices are no longer safe, and we are all living in fear of losing sensitive information to hackers and malicious people. Phishing schemes and pitfalls are everywhere, and the only way to avoid them is through regular audits and establishment of appropriate security measures. Cyberspace is in chaos and privacy seems to be a thing of the past.
Hackers are working round the clock to ensure many individuals and businesses fall into their trap. As information becomes an essential asset in this digital era, hackers are ready to do anything to get it. They use the information to cause business interruptions, engage in identity-related crimes, and extort money from their victims.
What triggered the increase in cyber risks?
For starters, the world has evolved, and technology has become more pervasive thus exposing many people to the risk. Unlike years ago, most people own a digital asset today, and the number of Internet users has more than doubled over the last few years. Most people have dramatically changed business models and have adopted digital approaches that facilitate continuous and real-time access to information. There is too much sharing of files and huge chunks of data to safeguard. For this reason, our cyberspace is filled with numerous loopholes that hackers can use to make an attack.
How can we protect ourselves from cyber risks? Well, there is no certain way to do so. Some organizations may take a step further and hire IT experts to ensure they protect their systems. However, studies show that most cyber attacks are facilitated by people working within the organization. For this reason, if we genuinely care about our cybersecurity, it’s important to hire an independent expert to do cybersecurity audit on a quarterly basis and utilize vulnerability scanners.
What is a cybersecurity audit? Like any other audit, a cybersecurity audit is an official examination of personal or organization’s devices, network, policy, and process to make sure they are following the NIST Cyber Security Framework. A cybersecurity auditor will conduct penetration testing, evaluate the vulnerability, perform a risk analysis, and conduct security training. An audit should bring clarity to the situation being reviewed. How can we tell when the time is ripe for a cybersecurity audit? Well, here are three sure signs it’s time to invest in an outside organization.
Pesky Antivirus Messages and Notifications
It is certain that most of us have received fake antivirus warnings that we tend to ignore. However, what most people don’t understand is that we can use this sign to tell if our systems have been compromised. Canceling or running an antivirus scanner to get rid of the irritating messages won’t solve the problem. The damage is already done and hiring an expert to get rid of the problem is what the right choice for everyone.
When You Can’t Access Your Data
When we cannot access your files and private information, then it means someone else is accessing them. Calling a cybersecurity auditor is important to ensure you recover your data and protect it from attacks in the future. The auditor will also help you improve your network defense and improve your security architecture through data encryption and obfuscation.
When Recovering From An Attack
If your system been attacked and an IT expert manages to stop the attack, it is still important to hire a cybersecurity auditor to verify the threat is gone for good. Cyber attacks are intricate, and regular IT employees rarely curb them. For this reason, it’s imperative to hire an expert who can evaluate, conduct a penetration test, develop secure coding guidelines, and conduct a forensic evaluation on past audits on your system. Businesses in Sacramento, for instance, are frequently in need of experts to do audits for them. For this reason, Savant Solutions offers comprehensive security audits with our expert team. Contact us today!