It’s time to check your business’s defenses against the threat of Russian cyber attack

While the cyber security of your business should always be a high priority, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine means that businesses may be at an increased risk of cyber-attack.

Although, there is no direct threat at present, the West is placing a range of sanctions on Russia. There could be retaliation, and Russia has used cyber-attacks in the past.

What does this mean for your business?

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has issued a ‘shields up’ warning to US businesses, and says they must be prepared to defend against cyber-attacks originating from Russia.

Businesses of all sizes will be at risk as the aim will be to cause as much disruption as possible.

It means that you can’t afford to slack off on your usual cyber security measures. If there’s something you’ve been meaning to get around to doing, now is the time.

The first thing you need to make sure you have in place is a working backup. Should you be hit by a cyber-attack – such as ransomware for example – you will still be able to access all of your data and documents.

Ensure that all your applications, systems and devices are running the latest updates, and that any relevant patches are in place. You should also make sure best practice is being followed when it comes to password hygiene.

Make use of password managers to ensure your whole team uses unique passwords that are less susceptible to brute force attacks. You should also strongly consider using multi-factor authentication (where you get a login code on another device) across your applications for a higher level of security.

Check your incident response and recovery plan is up-to-date and that everyone is aware of the steps they should take if they suspect a security breach. Your people need to know who to report a possible breach to, and who is responsible for protecting the business.

You may also want to consider company-wide cyber security training, and this really does mean everyone from the most senior employee to the most junior. This will help to make everyone aware of the most common threats, and teach them how to spot scams and phishing emails.

Finally, if you’re unsure that you have the right protections in place, speak to an expert who can help put your mind at ease and make sure your business is as protected as possible.

We’re here to help. If you have any concerns that your cyber security has fallen behind, call us, and we’ll check.