If you’re an office administrator, office manager, or operations professional, you might find yourself wondering: “When did I take on the role of IT professional?” From being asked to add the new hire to a Google Group, to being tasked with sitting on hold with your internet service provider to figure out why the Wi-Fi is so slow, office admins everywhere are becoming their office’s de facto IT person.
So why not get ahead of the game and implement a few simple policies to increase cybersecurity at your office? Not only will it make your role as de facto IT person a lot easier, but pushing proactive cybersecurity policies can also protect your company from a major security breach.
Enforce regular password changes
One of the simplest ways to make your office’s devices/endpoints more secure is to enforce regular password changes. Most SaaS apps and operating systems give you the ability to configure regular password changes and send out push notifications to employees so they are not caught off guard. In addition to these push notifications, it’s also a good idea to send out additional communication to your office (e.g., a scheduled Slackbot or email explaining the what/when/why/how of regular password changes).
So why not get ahead of the game and implement a few simple policies to increase cybersecurity at your office? Not only will it make your role as de facto IT person a lot easier, but pushing proactive cybersecurity policies can also protect your company from a major security breach.
Enforce regular password changes
One of the simplest ways to make your office’s devices/endpoints more secure is to enforce regular password changes. Most SaaS apps and operating systems give you the ability to configure regular password changes and send out push notifications to employees so they are not caught off guard. In addition to these push notifications, it’s also a good idea to send out additional communication to your office (e.g., a scheduled Slackbot or email explaining the what/when/why/how of regular password changes).
Implement MFA where you can
Multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires more than one method of authentication to log into an account, is probably active on your personal accounts. But did you know that MFA is one of the best cybersecurity policies you can roll out at your company? Even if all of your employees are using the most complicated passwords known to man, their user info will still end up in the wrong hands at some point. MFA is an inexpensive and essential line of defense when an employee’s device or credentials get lost or stolen.
Multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires more than one method of authentication to log into an account, is probably active on your personal accounts. But did you know that MFA is one of the best cybersecurity policies you can roll out at your company? Even if all of your employees are using the most complicated passwords known to man, their user info will still end up in the wrong hands at some point. MFA is an inexpensive and essential line of defense when an employee’s device or credentials get lost or stolen.
Get branded webcam covers
Covering your webcam isn’t just a best practice for conspiracy theorists – it actually has some merit when it comes to cybersecurity. A former FBI director recommends that webcams remain covered with tape, and even Mark Zuckerberg covers his webcam. An easy, cost-effective way to safeguard your office’s privacy from webcam hackers is to get webcam covers. You can even take this a step further by branding your webcam covers with your company logo. Who doesn’t love free swag?
Send out regular phishing tests
Don’t underestimate the importance of phishing training! According to Wombat’s 2018 State of the Phish Report, 76 percent of InfoSec professionals said they experienced a phishing attack in 2017. Maybe you’re thinking, why would a cybercriminal go after my company? Wouldn’t Jeff Bezos be a better target? Actually, it’s precisely the opposite. While the Amazons of the world have the resources to protect against these kind of attacks, small to mid-sized businesses are extremely susceptible – especially if your employees are not trained to know otherwise.
Set a five-minute screensaver
Perhaps the quickest of cybersecurity wins is enforcing a screensaver policy at your office. Pushing your employees to configure the settings on their device so a screensaver turns on after a few minutes of inactivity can be a work-lifesaver. While leaving your screen up while you run to the bathroom or chat with a coworker may not seem like a security issue, even a five-second peek at your screen by the wrong person can compromise company data.
Covering your webcam isn’t just a best practice for conspiracy theorists – it actually has some merit when it comes to cybersecurity. A former FBI director recommends that webcams remain covered with tape, and even Mark Zuckerberg covers his webcam. An easy, cost-effective way to safeguard your office’s privacy from webcam hackers is to get webcam covers. You can even take this a step further by branding your webcam covers with your company logo. Who doesn’t love free swag?
Send out regular phishing tests
Don’t underestimate the importance of phishing training! According to Wombat’s 2018 State of the Phish Report, 76 percent of InfoSec professionals said they experienced a phishing attack in 2017. Maybe you’re thinking, why would a cybercriminal go after my company? Wouldn’t Jeff Bezos be a better target? Actually, it’s precisely the opposite. While the Amazons of the world have the resources to protect against these kind of attacks, small to mid-sized businesses are extremely susceptible – especially if your employees are not trained to know otherwise.
Set a five-minute screensaver
Perhaps the quickest of cybersecurity wins is enforcing a screensaver policy at your office. Pushing your employees to configure the settings on their device so a screensaver turns on after a few minutes of inactivity can be a work-lifesaver. While leaving your screen up while you run to the bathroom or chat with a coworker may not seem like a security issue, even a five-second peek at your screen by the wrong person can compromise company data.
Backup data to the cloud
Of all the ideas on this list, backing up data to the cloud is probably a best practice your business is already, well, practicing. At the risk of preaching to the choir, cloud services like G Suite or Office 365 offer a lot of added security, and your business doesn’t have to worry about hiring more people or paying for extra resources for an on-site backup. If your office currently stores its data on a server on premise, we also recommend backing up your data to the cloud as an added security and data retention measure.
For even more cybersecurity best practices your business can implement, check out some of our latest guides:
We’ve seen hundreds of de facto IT people become the office hero by partnering with Electric to solve their modern businesses’ IT needs. To learn more, schedule a demo with an Electric IT Specialist.
Of all the ideas on this list, backing up data to the cloud is probably a best practice your business is already, well, practicing. At the risk of preaching to the choir, cloud services like G Suite or Office 365 offer a lot of added security, and your business doesn’t have to worry about hiring more people or paying for extra resources for an on-site backup. If your office currently stores its data on a server on premise, we also recommend backing up your data to the cloud as an added security and data retention measure.
For even more cybersecurity best practices your business can implement, check out some of our latest guides:
- Tips On Minimizing Cyber Security Threats At Your SMB
- SMB Cyber Security Best Practices
- Proactive Password Management For Your Small Business
- Best Cyber Security Practices for Your Small to Mid-Sized Business
We’ve seen hundreds of de facto IT people become the office hero by partnering with Electric to solve their modern businesses’ IT needs. To learn more, schedule a demo with an Electric IT Specialist.
About the Author: Kristofer Black is a builder of systems and applier of theoretical models. He is also the Director of Hardware Engineering at Electric — and a self-proclaimed sneakerhead.
About Electric: Founded in New York City in 2016, Electric is a Series B startup backed by GGV Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Bowery Capital and Primary Venture Partners. Electric is revolutionizing IT support with the world’s first automated IT platform. The platform’s core features include IT troubleshooting, systems administration, security and network management, and on-site assistance. Electric has also recently introduced Turbine, which uses automation to streamline employee onboarding and offboarding processes, adding to its list of core features. Through a chat and web interface, personalized service and flat-rate pricing, Electric is on a mission to become the de-facto IT solution for businesses all over the country.
About Electric: Founded in New York City in 2016, Electric is a Series B startup backed by GGV Capital, Bessemer Venture Partners, Bowery Capital and Primary Venture Partners. Electric is revolutionizing IT support with the world’s first automated IT platform. The platform’s core features include IT troubleshooting, systems administration, security and network management, and on-site assistance. Electric has also recently introduced Turbine, which uses automation to streamline employee onboarding and offboarding processes, adding to its list of core features. Through a chat and web interface, personalized service and flat-rate pricing, Electric is on a mission to become the de-facto IT solution for businesses all over the country.
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