Cybersecurity best practices: Follow Microsoft's tips to prevent attacks
In today's data-driven world, IT security has emerged as an essential driver for an organization's success. Individuals and firms can only achieve increased productivity and innovation by implementing security measures that make them resilient against cyberattacks. Microsoft has shared some fundamental precautions and measures to deal with sneaky and malicious activities happening online. Here's how you can protect yourself from a cyberattack.
Why does this story matter?
With the advancements in the field of technology, cybersecurity has become a priority for businesses because hackers may take advantage of weak points and exploit vulnerabilities through credential-based attacks. Cybercriminals usually get success simply because organizations do not follow robust security practices. A Digital Defense Report from Microsoft has shown that good security practices can thwart 98% of attacks.
How is sensitive information stolen?
'Phishing' is one of the most common methods of information theft. It only takes one successful attempt for phishing emails/websites to steal the credentials. The data obtained is then sold online or shared with other scammers. Another approach is 'Push-bombing,' which involves launching numerous access attempts using compromised credentials. It leads to a sudden influx of notifications, making users perplexed and mistakenly allowing authentication.
Enable multifactor authentication (MFA)
You can steer clear of cyberattacks by enabling multifactor authentication (MFA). It will strengthen identity security and get better protection against compromised user passwords. With MFA, your sign-in process is further secured as it asks for additional identity verification such as biometrics or password received on the user's device when accessing accounts or apps.
Do not trust links or pop-ups that are uncertain
Implementing zero-trust principles for external links will help have a positive impact on system security. Before you grant access to resources, explicitly check to ensure devices are in good condition with the latest security patches enabled. Allow no more privileges than are required for accessing a resource. Consistently monitor the environment for a possible attack to avoid the system defenses from getting breached.
Keep your systems up to date
Install software that can detect and automatically stop attacks, and give insights into security operations. Monitoring insights are crucial for being able to react to threats quickly. Keep the firmware, operating system, and applications updated. Always have a comprehensive centralized log collection. Know your crucial data, its location, and whether the proper systems are in place to provide appropriate protection.
