Cybercrime and cybersecurity are intimidating concepts, and with so many different services and methods of protection available, it is hard to know where to start! Keep in mind, the best cybersecurity program is the one that serves your needs and protects your organization. You should invest in protection that is uniquely suited to the size, maturity, industry, and compliance standards of your business. . . or you can pick something based on your astrological sign!
Just like you, a good cybersecurity program should be strong, useful, and constantly evolving to meet new challenges. Find your sign below to learn how you can start protecting your online privacy and digital information.
Aquarius (Jan 20-Feb 18) – The Aquarius sign tends to be intellectual and progressive, with a strong desire for community. Given these traits, an Aquarius may be the perfect person to manage your organization’s security awareness training for employees! Your end-users are your first line of security defense, and their proactive education will inevitably serve your organization. There are several styles of security awareness training, from automated phishing campaigns to interactive, gamified training like an escape room exercise. Digital products, like KnowBe4, aim to reduce the risk of human error by exposing your employees to the types of attacks that would potentially compromise their information. KnowBe4 and similar services offer training modules to ensure your entire staff knows how to identify and avoid the most common cyber threats.
Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20) – This sign is compassionate and gentle, but they tend to be overly trusting. Pisces should make a habit over being overly suspicious of fishy-looking emails. Make sure to verify the sender, investigate links before clicking, and refrain from sharing your credentials or personal information with anyone who asks for them. Proceed carefully if the email seems uncharacteristic from the sender or if they make a strange request with high urgency. Even if you recognize the name of the sender, double click their name to reveal and verify their email address. If something seems too good to be true, it is probably untrue and potentially dangerous. Keep a critical eye, and don’t let hackers talk you into giving away your information.
Aries (Mar 21-Apr 19) – Fire signs, like Aries, are enthusiastic, determined, and sometimes impulsive. Aries enjoy keeping busy and are often working on several tasks at the same time. When things get slow, your discomfort with inactivity may leave you fidgety. Use this extra time to audit, update, and maintain the back end of your security program. While this maintenance may seem a little mundane for the fiery Aries, your organizational skills and unerring focus make you the perfect candidate for the job! Run through a checklist of policy rules review, at least annually, to make sure your firewall operations are auditable and repeatable. Regular firewall audits will increase your chances of catching flaws in your network security posture and identifying where your policies need to be adapted.
Taurus (Apr 20-May 20) – You are stable, reliable, and uncompromising, and your passwords should be no different! Fortify your passwords by creating a 16-character passphrase. Lengthier passwords are exponentially harder for attackers to crack, but they can be hard to remember. The trick to creating secure, memorable passwords is to make long phrases out of shorter words. For example, “dogsbarkverywell” is much stronger than “D0Gd@d”, or any 6-character password, based solely on length. Even though the latter password includes numbers, capital letters, and special characters, the longer password is much stronger against the most common types of password cracking attacks. You can have the best of both worlds by also adding numbers and special characters to your unique, 16-character passphrase, like “!LetsLetL0v3Win!”.
Gemini (May 21-Jun 20) – As the sign of the twin, Geminis know that two is better than one. Implement Two-factor Authentication (2FA/MFA) to protect your account even if your credentials get compromised. 2FA is a process by which you enter your login credentials, then verify your identity by entering a text code or authorizing a push on your phone. An attacker would need to have access to your login credentials, as well as your phone, to access your account. It can be as simple as activating 2FA/MFA in your account settings, or enlisting third-party software, like Duo. Once activated, Geminis can exercise their love of routine and repetition by clicking through a few extra identity verification measures while logging on.
Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22) – People with this sign are loyal and sympathetic, but they dislike revealing too much about their personal lives. Keep your personally identifiable information protected on the internet by limiting the information you reveal and only sharing with reputable sites. Sharing information includes creating accounts, making purchases, or doing anything else that links your identity to your online activity. When making transactions online, use an insured credit card rather than using a debit card or linking directly to your bank account. Be suspicious of any unsolicited links or calls that request financial information, and try to delay any requests for your personal data.
Leo (Jul 23-Aug 22) – Leos are known to have a flair for the dramatic and their bright, showy personalities. However, there are some situations in which you can protect yourself by revealing less. When working in a shared space, make a habit of locking your machine every time you step away from your desk. Considering the threat of a malicious actor within your company, as well as general security hygiene, you should never leave your computer unlocked and unattended. Even while you are at your desk, you can protect your information by facing your monitors away from clear windows or common spaces.
Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22) – A pitfall of this sign is that they hate asking for help. Even if you use good internet hygiene, you can expect to encounter a malicious actor at some point in your digital lifetime. If you realize you have made a mistake or think someone may have gained unauthorized access to your data, it is critically important to report these incidents so they can be resolved as quickly as possible. It can be embarrassing or intimidating to report a potential problem, especially if you feel that you are to blame, but the IT helpdesk wants to know about problems as soon as possible. A good helpdesk team will not be upset with you. They will either be able to resolve the problem, or escalate the issue to the appropriate resources.
Libra (Sep 23-Oct 22) – This sign aims to achieve balance and symmetry in their lives. It can be easy to let your security program weigh too heavily on the technical side. Remember that there are many non-technical controls that protect your personal and corporate data. Consider the physical locks that secure sensitive information, the fire suppression system in your server room, or the HR process for off-boarding employees. Documented and enforced procedures can be just as important as firewalls or endpoint anti-virus solution. Evaluating these operational controls allows you to improve your company’s information security without making any changes to your network! A Cybersecurity Risk Assessment gives you visibility into both technical and nontechnical vulnerabilities within your environment.
Scorpio (Oct 23-Nov 21) – Although Scorpios value honesty, they have a tendency to be secretive and conceal their weak points. Counterintuitively, exposing your weakest points will help limit your attack surface. Today, both the good guys and bad guys are aware of the most common vulnerabilities. Consult with the experts to remediate these weaknesses before they are spotted by a malicious actor. Work with your cybersecurity team or a third-party security firm to run regular vulnerability assessments. Revealing your network’s most prominent vulnerabilities will allow you to make improvements and close those gaps. The resourceful Scorpio can use this information to remediate all of the organization’s critical security vulnerabilities and plan for a secure future.
Sagittarius (Nov 22-Dec 21) – This sign is known for being ambitious, but they can tend to promise more than they can deliver. Make sure that you have documentation that outlines how you will respond to a cybersecurity incident. Do you have backups to restore your data? How often are these backups refreshed and how long would it take to restore your whole system? A good plan is only worth the value it serves on game day, so make sure your emergency plans are current and realistic. Businesses of any size or maturity should have a documented and rehearsed Incident response plan that includes escalation criteria and contact information for essential resources. Regularly scheduled incident response tabletop exercises should include the individuals that would be involved in a real incident to prepare them for the worst-case scenario.
Capricorn (Dec 22-Jan 19) – Capricorns are disciplined and thrive in managerial positions. For better or worse, they can be perceived as know-it-alls, but only because of their thirst for knowledge. They find value in high-level summaries, with the option to dig into the details of red-flags or abnormalities. A SIEM (Security Information & Event Management) program provides real-time analysis of security alerts. Work with your organization to develop or purchase a SIEM program that keeps watch over the most critical parts of your network, and alert you of threats before they can do harm. SIEM programs, like AT&T’s AlienVault, provide summarized and detailed reports that give you everything you could want to know about your network’s health and security.
Any effort to close a security gap is a step in the right direction, and any informed investment in cybersecurity is likely to benefit your organization in the long-run. Visit ProCircular’s contact page or call 844-95-SECUR to learn about implementing some of these security controls into your business’ security program!