Are we really doomed?

In a recent article in the theguardian about internet cybersecurity, “The state of cybersecurity: we’re all screwed” it stated that “the internet is broken and we need to do something soon to fix it or risk permanent damage to our economy.” they also quote longtime security guru Dan Kaminsky  “We need to go ahead and get the internet fixed or risk losing this engine of beauty.”

Citing a July 2015 study by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, Mr. Kaminsky, goes on to say “Half of all Americans are backing away from the net due to fears regarding security and privacy,” While there is no question we should to be concerned with our cybersecurity, have faith, all is not lost.

What are my real risks?

While there is no question there is a lot to worry about with our collective cybersecurity given the increased threats from Ransomware, Denial of Service attacks, Phishing, and other threats the reality is that for a small business (and our customers) if we put in place common sense safeguards we can effectively protect ourselves. Don’t get me wrong there are significant threats to our digital way of life from nation states and hackers, but if we put in place basic security measures, we can keep our digital lives protected and safe.

We have met the enemy and he is us

As we pointed out in “The biggest security problem is YOU” it is possible to address over fifty percent of the cybersecurity risks you and your business face from your biggest danger, you and your employees. Yep take a look in the mirror, you are your biggest risk. I don’t have the space here to go into all of our recommendations, but you can read the article for the specifics.

Seven cybersecurity must-dos

Once you have dealt with your biggest security risk we suggest you dive into the next most critical protections which are all found in “Azstec’s seven cybersecurity must-do’s”. Summarizing they are:  1) Secure your logins and passwords 2) Encrypt your disk drives 3) Encrypt your confidential files 4) Encrypt your emails with docNCRYPTtm 5) Make sure you update your software and plugins 6) Protect against ransomware 7) Protect against IOT devices attached to your network.

Cybersecurity is a process

Finally, there are lots of other cybersecurity threats that I have not mentioned in this post, but hopefully you have found some information that may help keep you and your company safe. As Bruce Schneier has pointed out, security is a process not a product. Security starts with being aware of the threats that may target you or your business and put in place processes that help protect you from the inherently insecure world of computerization.

When not pretending to be a Cybersecurity Oracle David Griffith is the CEO of Azstec LLC, the creators of docNCRYPT, the incredibly simple document security solution for everyone. If you have any comments or questions, email David at dgriffith [at] azstec.com and follow the Azstec Blog or on Twitter or LinkedIn.