December 1, 2020 by Trisura Guarantee Insurance Company
In these times of social distancing and working from home, it’s become even more crucial to ensure strong cybersecurity measures are in place for you and your business. Working from home can pose its own challenges and takes adjusting to; the last thing anyone would want is a cyber breach to occur at the same time. As organizations have moved to a work-from-home state, it can be argued that the risk of cyber exposure is even higher. “With an expanded attack surface, potentially weaker security protocols and distracted employees, this unique situation is just right for highly motivated cyber criminals to make their moves,” states Michael Kalakauskas, assistant vice president and product leader at Trisura Guarantee. “We all need to do our part to stay vigilant and keep our information secure in these uncertain times and there are many ways we can go about this.”
Let’s look at some of the most important steps we can all take to ensure a more secure home office:
The above tips are great precautionary measures companies and staff can take to stop a breach, but what is the role of the broker in all this? As there may be some uncertainty surrounding the vast world of cyber, insurance brokers should familiarize themselves with the risks. Brokers can serve as a resource for their clients and spread awareness through news stories and articles that highlight the exposures. “It’s also important to gain an understanding of where their clients may be vulnerable to cyberattacks,” adds Kalakauskas. “Find out your client’s cyber protection measures and help identify these gaps.” With the help of insurance carriers, you can then suggest experts your client can use to strengthen their cyber breach prevention practices.
Though there are many controls that can prevent cyber-attacks, remember that the human element is the most important piece of the puzzle. Employee errors cause the most breaches, so if the organization has good employee training and awareness policies, you are well on your way to combating the bad actors.
This article does not intend to provide legal or technical IT advice. You should consult your own legal counsel or IT professional in connection with matters affecting your own legal or technological requirements or interests.
Very valuable information.