Business owners, board members, and managers must rely on accurate and accessible information to make important decisions. The theft, damage, or unauthorized disclosure of an organization’s mission-critical information can spell disaster. A business can be crippled or forced to close if it is deprived of the data it needs to function.
The world is in the midst of a wave of cybercrime. The losses are huge. The total dollar amount exceeds that of the illegal drug trade worldwide. Crimes that target an organization’s confidential information are low-risk, high-return. Data breaches are difficult to prevent and difficult to prosecute.
Cybercriminals are constantly on the lookout for vulnerabilities to exploit. Thousands of computer networks, mobile electronic devices and personal computers are compromised every day. When hackers and crackers discover vulnerabilities, they will exploit the weaknesses and attack for nefarious purposes.
A wise owner, manager or board member would want to answer the question posed in the title of this document: “Can your organization survive a cyber intrusion?”
Simply answer the questions on the next page honestly and test the security strength of your company’s information system.
Quickly test the strength of your organization’s IT security
Please answer the following questions with a “Yes” or “No”.
1. Has your company adopted a formal, written information security plan?
2. Does your company have an inventory of all your information assets?
3. Has each information asset been classified according to its importance?
4. Do all your employees have information security training?
5. Does your organization keep a backup copy of your information in a secure off-site location?
6. Are you sure that your organization complies with all laws and regulations related to the collection, sharing and use of your private confidential information?
7. Do you have a plan to defend against a cyber attack and respond to a security incident?
8. Do you have a hardware and data destruction plan?
9. Does your company have a mobile security plan?
10. Does your company use access control policies?
11. Do your employees sign appropriate use policies?
12. Do you use encryption?
If you answered “No” to any of the questions above, your organization is vulnerable to a cyber attack. It’s that easy. We strongly recommend that you take steps to reduce risks and strengthen the security of your computers and networks.
Be proactive about information security and start protecting your digital assets. Read and learn as much as you can about computer security. Make information assurance a mission. Pay as much attention to security practices throughout your organization as you do to accounting, shipping, and marketing.
Protecting the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of your mission-critical data should be one of your most important tasks. At Paladin we encourage you to make it happen.