1 – Firewalls

The rising threat of cyber-attacks and the introduction of attacks that can completely stop your business operations means that no business can afford to take cyber security lightly. If you want your cyber security personnel to be able to keep your business network and data safe, you need to make sure they have the cyber security software tools and frameworks they need to do their job well. Firewalls seem like an anachronism – something that may have worked decades ago, but not of much use these days. This may be the general perception, but the truth is that firewalls still have an essential job to do – they monitor the traffic. While there are many attacks which can bypass firewalls, an updated firewall will still be able to detect most attacks and stop them before they ever enter your network.

Think of the firewall like a door that is locked. Sure, if there are professional burglars attempting to enter your home, a firewall will not be able to do much. However, that does not mean that you can just remove the door. Removing the door will mean inviting everyone to come in and rob you – which is also what happens when your business does not have a firewall. Hackers run tests to find out which businesses are protected, and which ones do not have firewalls, then they target the businesses without firewalls.

2 – Antivirus Software

For most people without much experience in cybersecurity software tools the terms “firewall” and “antivirus” may seem like two different names for the same thing – but that is not the case. The security of your system requires a powerful firewall and up-to-date antivirus software.

An antivirus will warn you if you have a virus or malware infection, and many integrate additional services such as email scanning to make sure there are no infected attachments or malicious web links. Current antivirus programs apply useful safeguards, such as quarantining potential threats and eliminating them. There is a great diversity of antivirus; you will easily find one that suits your business needs.

Remember, while firewalls may stop network attacks, anti-virus software tools are still needed to stop other types of attacks. Attaching a USB storage device is one of the most common ways office computers get infected and the firewall does not get involved in such a connection – but an anti-virus thus, which is why it is an essential cyber security software tool.

3 – Cyber Security Management Software

Anti-virus software and firewalls are easily available and installed on most modern computers. Windows 10 comes with a built-in anti-virus tool and a firewall. These tools are good enough for personal computers, but you need something more to protect the data and network of your business. Normal home users are not targeted by hackers looking for business data they can encrypt and ask for a ransom, this normal home users don’t need sophisticated cyber security management software suites, but businesses do.

Cyber security policy management solutions and cyber security monitoring solutions can ensure that your business is always protected from attacks. These solutions don’t just focus on security tools – they also focus on improving the processes and practices being followed within the organization and removing security vulnerabilities.

4 – Staff training

Perhaps you do not envision staff training as a “tool”, but ultimately, if you have skilled employees who understand their role in cybersecurity, you have one of the most effective cyber security tools available in the world. There are many training tools to invest in to educate your staff on good practices in cybersecurity.

Just doing a regular check on cybersecurity strategies and adopting good habits for passwords can make a huge difference. Another interesting support: training sessions or simulations to learn to identify suspicious links or fraudulent e-mails that could be a vector for phishing attacks. Indeed, what good is it to put in place powerful defenses if your teams are trapped by tactics of social engineering.

As cybercriminals continue to develop and improve their methods, businesses can no longer afford to ignore these tools and services. By ignoring these measures, you expose your business to become an easy target for hackers. If the cost of such measures can slow you down, remember that cyber security software tools is an investment that will provide your business with long-term security and protection. If you want to see how you can improve the cyber-security of your business, have a look at the Predict360 Cyber Security solution. Click here for a demo.