Security

Two steps to make your business more cyber secure? Too easy!

Two steps to make your business more cyber secure? Too easy!

Every business has information it needs to protect, and 2FA is the easiest way to do that. CERT NZ are encouraging small businesses to use this incredibly simple tool.

Keeping your business secure online can be confusing and stressful, especially when your expertise is not in tech. 2FA (two-factor authentication) is a tool that adds an extra layer to log in into your important accounts and often only requires clicking an option in the settings menu.

2FA works by sending you a randomly generated code to enter, often via SMS or from an app on your phone, after you enter your password. Even if your password is guessed by an attacker or found online in previous data breaches, the attacker can’t get past this second layer of security unless they have the code.

And it’s incredibly effective. Most experts estimate that 2FA would stop up to 99% of so-called ‘account compromise attacks’, where someone is attempting to access your business’s emails, bank accounts, or social media.

As part of the campaign, CERT NZ spoke to various types of small business, from builders to brewers and beauty product developers. What CERT NZ discovered was none of them cared about was not the cyber security tool itself but what it provided them, peace of mind.

Each business shared details on how using good passwords and an extra layer of security with 2FA meant they had one less thing to worry about, their customers’ info was secure, their finances were safeguarded and everything they had worked so hard to build was better protected.

Enabling two easy steps, really is too easy! If you aren’t using 2FA already, here’s how you can start,

CERT NZ’s Two Steps, too easy campaign ran 2 May to 23 May:

In conjunction with CERT NZ, Wellington City Libraries is hosting a lunchtime talk on
Wednesday 22 June 2022 from 12.15-1.00 pm at Te Awe Library, 29B Brandon St, Wellington Central
For more information and to register your interest in attending
Protecting your business from online threats click here for more information
If you would like to read further on the subject of cybersecurity you might find these titles of interest :

Cybersecurity for dummies / Steinberg, Joseph
“If keeping your business or your family safe from cybersecurity threats is on your to-do list, Cybersecurity For Dummies will introduce you to the basics of becoming cyber-secure! You will learn what threats exist, and how to identify, protect against, detect, and respond to these threats, as well as how to recover once there has been a breach! This book helps you identify vulnerabilities that may make you a target of cyber-crime and helps you stay on top of your security game. Inside: – The who and what of cybersecurity threats – Basic cybersecurity concepts – What to do to be cyber-secure – What to do when an attack occurs – Emerging technologies and their impact on cybersecurity – Cybersecurity careers.” (Catalogue)

Cybersecurity for Business: Organization-Wide Strategies To Ensure Cyber Risk Is Not Just An It Issue / Clinton,Larry
“Balance the benefits of digital transformation with the associated risks with this guide to effectively managing cybersecurity as a strategic business issue. Important and cost-effective innovations can substantially increase cyber risk and the loss of intellectual property, corporate reputation and consumer confidence.” (Catalogue)

 

The secret to cybersecurity : a simple plan to protect your family and business from cybercrime / Augenbaum, Scott E.
“Cybercrimes are a threat and as dangerous as an armed intruder–yet millions of Americans are complacent or simply uninformed of how to protect themselves. The Secret to Cybersecurity closes that knowledge gap by using real-life examples to educate readers. … There are bad people in the world, and they are on the internet. They want to hurt you. They are based all over the world, so they’re hard at “work” when even you’re sleeping. They use automated programs to probe for weaknesses in your internet security programs. And they never stop. Cybercrime is on the increase internationally, and it’s up to you to protect yourself. But how? The Secret to Cybersecurity is the simple and straightforward plan to keep you, your family, and your business safe. Written by Scott Augenbaum, a 29-year veteran of the FBI who specialized in cybercrimes, it uses real-life examples to educate and inform readers, explaining who/why/how so you’ll have a specific takeaway to put into action for your family. Learn about the scams, methods, and ways that cyber criminals operate–and learn how to avoid being the next cyber victim.” (Adapted from Catalogue)

Cyber-vigilance and digital trust : cyber security in the era of cloud computing and IoT
“Cyber threats are ever increasing. Adversaries are getting more sophisticated and cyber criminals are infiltrating companies in a variety of sectors. In today’s landscape, organizations need to acquire and develop effective security tools and mechanisms – not only to keep up with cyber criminals, but also to stay one step ahead. Cyber-Vigilance and Digital Trust develops cyber security disciplines that serve this double objective, dealing with cyber security threats in a unique way. Specifically, the book reviews recent advances in cyber threat intelligence, trust management and risk analysis, and gives a formal and technical approach based on a data tainting mechanism to avoid data leakage in Android systems” (Catalogue)

If you need more information please contact the Prosearch team at the library.  We can help you find information across a range of perspectives and resources.  All enquiries are treated in confidence.