It’s a fact, cybercriminals don’t take the holidays off. They see these opportunities as prime time to attack businesses and organizations that may have let their guard down during these periods.
A recent example of this is the attack on the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) over the Labor Day weekend. While on holiday, the district’s system was attacked and these cyber criminals later demanded a large amount of money as ransom in order to get this data back.
This just goes to show that it’s important to have a plan in place for 24/7 network protection, even when you and your team are out of the office. So, what can schools do to protect their network when they aren’t present?
Educate Your Staff
Your staff means no harm, but they could be inadvertently opening the door for a cyber attack. That’s why it’s important to not only educate yourself but them on cybersecurity best practices, such as:
- Never sharing passwords
- Not downloading email attachments from unknown senders
- Reporting any suspicious activity
- Keeping devices updated with the latest security patches
- Creating strong passwords
- Limiting access to sensitive data
- Backing up data regularly
- Working with a Managed IT Services Provider
When you train your staff on the importance of security awareness, you’re choosing to empower your first line of defense against a cyber attack– But you can’t stop there.
Keep Your Software Updated
Outdated software is one of the main reasons why cyber attacks are successful. By not keeping your software up-to-date, you’re leaving yourself vulnerable to known security threats.
NotPetya is an example of malware that spreads through accounting software. Microsoft had already released patches to close the vulnerability but computers that had not been updated were affected. A report from a White House assessment estimated the total damages from this malware at more than $10 billion globally.
Before leaving for the holidays, triple check all updates are installed and when new updates become available, install them as soon as possible on all devices connected to your network. This includes computers, laptops, smartphones, and tablets.
By partnering with a managed service provider like ANC Group, you can remove the burden of software updates from your team as our team will ensure your applications and systems are regularly updated during our 24/7 monitoring.
Track Your Devices
Do you know where all of your devices are at all times? If not, now is the time to start tracking them.
This is especially important for laptops and other mobile devices that can be easily lost or stolen. With device tracking, you can remotely lock or wipe data from a lost or stolen device to prevent your school’s sensitive information from falling into the wrong hands-a lifesaver when you’re away for the holidays.
Invest in Cybersecurity Solutions & Network Protection with ANC Group
Another way to protect your network is to invest in proactive cybersecurity solutions with ANC Group, where we can provide 24/7 protection, even when you’re away. Take that holiday in full vacation mode, knowing you’re in the trusted hands of a cybersecurity provider that implements solutions like firewalls, intrusion detection, prevention systems, and malware protection that can help keep your network safe from attack.
Schedule a network assessment with ANC Group and see where your organization has gaps in your current cybersecurity plan.
