Tees Business Tees Business issue 19 | 页面 42

42 | Tees Business Cyber-security - It’s time to change Cornerstone managing director Chris Petty raises some uncomfortable but crucial cyber-security issues for you and your business… C yber threats are a daily problem for businesses of all sizes. Everyone knows the risks but, despite all the news reports and constant warnings, trends demonstrate a huge hike in data breaches and hacks over recent years. The use of mobile devices for work has enabled us to become immensely more productive and flexible with our time. But without careful management, such progress also creates the perfect opportunity for cyber criminals to make money - and lots of it. Robust passwords can be notoriously onerous to manage. So many companies simply pass it off as a job too time consuming to do anything about. Even when faced with the ever increasing risk of data loss, downtime and public embarrassment, too many business leaders continue to bury their heads in the sand and hope it all goes away. When employees leave a company on bad terms, countless organisations fail to put the correct procedures in place to protect their critical data. Even when password policies are written and shared with staff, they’re still not being enforced. A 2019 report from Yubico revealed that despite an increase in understanding about cyber-crime and password best practice, behaviour is still falling short. Look in any office and you’ll still find people: • Sharing login details • Scribbling passwords on Post-it notes and sticking them on their computer screens • And failing to keep schedules for password changes You can’t run your business like this – it’s time for a change. CORNERSTONE BUSINESS SOLUTIONS LTD MAP HOUSE, 3 GEORGE STEPHENSON COURT, OFF WESTLAND WAY, PRESTON FARM, STOCKTON-ON-TEES, TS18 3TG This is our call to arms for more robust cyber security in your business. Getting password management right starts at the top - and that doesn’t simply mean writing a shiny new policy. Documents and procedures mean nothing unless they’re enforced, so companies that are serious about cyber security need to put robust, actionable measures in place. The bottom line is that organisations that fail to take action will be caught out sooner or later. And with the Information Commissioner’s Office now taking a zero tolerance approach to GDPR breaches, that’s a risk nobody should be taking. We are helping companies in the Tees Valley just like CD Engineering Services (see opposite page) to become Cyber Essentials certified. This not only protects their business but also allows them to win more business. It’s a win-win. Get in touch today to discuss ways Cornerstone can help you and your business keep the criminals at bay. PHONE 0845 223 2400 EMAIL [email protected] WEB cornerstonebs.co.uk