Cybersecurity Best Practices: General guidelines for individuals and businesses

With increased digital complexities, cybersecurity is no longer an IT concern but a personal and professional imperative because we are digitally dependent for all kinds of work. Cybersecurity is our virtual shield and maintaining a robust cybersecurity practice is non-negotiable. You’ll learn the best practices in this blog to help you and your organizations fortify your cybersecurity concerns.

1. Strong Passwords Are Your Primary Safeguard

Let’s start with a password, your first line of defense. Your password must be strong enough to be like an impenetrable palace that is tall, fortified, and difficult to breach. Therefore, avoid using easily guessable passwords such as “123”, your birthday, your name, your pet’s name, etc. Always create a strong password using a combination of uppercase letters, lowercase letters, numbers, and special characters.

According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a strong password should be 12 characters long because they believe that it is extremely safe and impossible for a person to guess. Consider using a combination of random words in your local dialect if you have one combined with numbers, Uppercase, Lowercase, and special characters, which are easy to remember and hard to crack.

2. Use a Two-Factor Authentication (2FA)

Having a two-factor authentication is like asking for your ID even if you have a ticket for the entry. It adds an extra layer to your security consequently reducing the risk of unauthorized access. 2FA must be used especially for sensitive accounts such as email, banking, and social media. Google reported that accounts with 2FA have 50% fewer chances of being hacked.

3. Avoid using the same passwords on multiple accounts

Some studies show that 60% of Americans use the same password for multiple accounts. Using the same passwords for different accounts makes it vulnerable and easy for hackers to take control. It's like giving your master key to hackers. Therefore, always use different passwords for different accounts

4. Update your software regularly

When Developers prompt your device to update your software, you must do so to fix vulnerabilities and improve security. Ignoring these updates could cause unnecessary trouble for your data security. Implementing a policy for regular updates in businesses can eliminate potential security breaches.

5. Be watchful of Phishing Attacks

Phishing is a scam that tricks you into providing sensitive information by pretending to be trusted entities. According to the FBI's 2021 IC3 Report, nearly 83% of companies experienced phishing attacks. With 22 percent of all data breaches, phishing scams become one of the most prevalent cybercrimes in 2021. Some studies show 83% of UK businesses suffered a phishing attack in 2022. Just as the saying goes, “Necessity is the mother of invention”, phishing attacks have also become complex necessitating us to be vigilant.

Always double-check the authenticity of the sender's email address and links. See if there are any grammatical errors, email domain match, spelling and formatting, link consistency, etc. and never click any links that look fishy. Awareness and training programs for employees to battle cyber threats can eliminate the chances of becoming a victim of cyberattacks and save your businesses from phishing-related losses.

6. Your Wi-Fi Network must be protected

Lock your home’s Digital Doorway (Wi-Fi network) tighter than a vault! Change the default network name and password and use WPA3 encryption if your router supports it. Also, consider hiding your network SSID and enabling MAC address filtering for an additional layer of security.

For businesses, segmenting the network for different departments can limit access to sensitive information.

7. Backup your data

According to some surveys, around 70% of companies experience data loss due to cyber incidents. Moreover, IBM has reported that the data breach cost 4.88M USD in 2024 (a 10% increase over the last year). Backing up the data preserves your data integrity and provides usable copies of lost or corrupted data. Back up your data in a different medium whether online in Dropbox or Google Drive or offline in a hard drive.

8. Keep Your Team Updated with the latest cybersecurity knowledge

Education is a lifelong process, and ignorance is not bliss in cybersecurity. Empowering your employees with the needed knowledge and skills to handle cyber threats will save you from cyber-related troubles. Consider providing regular training on cybersecurity to your employees as your employees are your first line of defense.

Foster a culture of security awareness with due diligence and encourage them to be proactively involved in recognizing suspicious activity. An inspired employee with empowered knowledge will increase productivity and protect your business.

9. Control Access and implement them religiously

To avoid internal data breaches, limiting access to sensitive information is non-negotiable. Allow only limited access to employees necessary for their jobs. Software tools including Microsoft Azure, Active Directory, or Okta can fortify data breaches and enhance security.

10. Keep a Keen Eye on Your Network

With evolving technological advancement, cyber threats follow suit. Therefore, keeping a keen eye on and monitoring your digital assets or system is essential. Implement an incident response plan to enable your team to tackle data breaches. Based on an IBM report, organizations with an incident response team saved over 1 million USD on the cost of data breaches.

11. Sync with Cybersecurity Trends

Cyber threats are increasing rapidly and so should you in upskilling yourself. Simulate the latest cybersecurity trends and stay updated by following reliable sources such as the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) or Krebs on Security.

The cliché “It’s better to be safe than sorry” applies here. Safeguarding against cyber threats is not reserved for the IT department but is a personal and organization’s responsibility. We have outlined the best security practices in this blog such as creating strong passwords, utilizing two-factor authentication, regularly updating software, etc. to reduce cyberattack vulnerability. Stay in the know and fortify your data with the latest knowledge and skills.

Cybersecurity is not a one-time effort but a continuous commitment because protecting your digital assets ensures trust, integrity, and continuity in personal and professional environments. Achieving Certifications will prepare you to battle cyber threats with proficiency and validate your skills with a digital badge. You can take advantage of Beingcert, a globally recognized certification provider if you are looking to get certified. Visit our website and choose the cybersecurity certifications of your choice and kickstart your journey today.

Happy certifying!