Are you building a cyber safe culture in your business?

Updates are one of the strongest defences in your security toolkit. Installing regular updates will keep your devices secure and make it harder for cybercriminals to access them.

To ensure your software is up to date, make sure that you:

• Switch on automatic updates where possible
• Install updates as soon as you’re prompted

Strong passwords that are long and unique make it harder for authorised people to break into your online accounts. Using a passphrase (4 or more random words) make it longer than a standard password and harder to guess.

When creating passphrases:

• Use long and memorable passphrases, rather than short passwords.
• Never reuse the same passphrase across multiple accounts.

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) adds an extra layer of protection by asking you two or more ways to prove that an authorised person is logging in. This makes it harder for others to access your account and information. To stay more secure:

• Turn on MFA for your online banking and email accounts.
• Use an authenticator app or security key for stronger protection.

Regular backups ensure you can recover quickly if your data is lost or stolen. Encourage your team to stay alert to suspicious emails, links and requests as part of daily business practices.

• Store backups securely and test them regularly.
• Remind staff to pause and think before clicking on links or opening attachments.

Outdated technology can be an open door for cybercriminals as it no longer receives the updates and patches needed to stay secure. Investing in modern systems is far less costly than the impact of a cyber attack.

If you’re still using legacy tech:

• Plan to replace unsupported hardware or software as soon as possible.
• While replacement is underway, take steps like network segmentation and monitoring to reduce risk.