5 Ways New Zealand Businesses Can Reduce Cyber Attacks

Friday, 13 September 2024, 10:51 pm
Article: Hugh Grant

28 August 2024

Cybercrime continues to rob New Zealanders of their hard-earned money, according to New Zealand's Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT NZ). 

In 1Q24, CERT NZ says it responded to 1,530 incident reports involving individuals and companies in the country. CERT NZ says the $6.6 million of direct financial loss in the first quarter was up 84% from the previous quarter. It adds that 19% of incidents reported involved financial loss. Among other findings, scams involving buying and selling goods on the internet climbed 15% to 247 in the first quarter of this year from 214 in the fourth quarter of 2023. 

It’s unlikely the bad actors will change their ways and play fair. So, businesses have their work cut out for them. Here are five ways businesses in New Zealand can fight against cyber attacks.

1. Train Employees to Detect, Avoid, and Report Online Threats

If you want to reduce the odds of successful cyber attacks in the workplace, it pays to invest in training workers about proper security practices. You should do the following:

• Define the risks that cyber attacks present for the company and employees
• Instruct staff about best practices when using the Internet or accessing the corporate network
• Explain the importance of using strong passwords
• Ensure workers know what to do when they encounter threats
• Explain the consequences of violating the company's cybersecurity policy

When employees know what’s at stake and what’s expected of them, they won’t so easily fall for the traps set by cybercriminals.

2. Safeguard Computers and Networks From Online Threats

Getting employee buy-in will only take you so far. Your business must also safeguard computers, networks, and the information accessible on these assets. This is a job for your company's IT department. The IT professionals must install the most recent operating systems, security software, antivirus software, and web browsers. It's a good idea to automate the rollout of security software updates and patches so your business always has the latest protection. Cybercriminals never sleep and always look for new victims, so your company must be vigilant. 

3. Secure Corporate WiFi Networks

Do you have WiFi networks in the workplace? If so, you must secure them. The WiFi networks should be encrypted, secured, and hidden so passersby can’t hop on and potentially wreak havoc. Your IT department can handle the task of securing the corporate WiFi networks.

4. Require Employees to Change Passwords Regularly

Choosing strong passwords is only part of the solution. You should also require that workers change their passwords regularly -- such as quarterly. You can up the ante by incorporating multi-factor authentication that requires staff to input more than just their passwords to sign in. Going this extra mile will go a long way toward keeping your employees and company safe.

5. Protect Internet Connection With Firewall

Firewall security is also essential to safeguard employees who use the internet onsite and offsite. When a firewall is in place, non-workers and people unauthorized to use or access information on a private network won't be able to. Your business can't forget remote workers. Ensure any equipment workers use to access corporate networks has the right firewall protection. With remote work becoming more common, your cybersecurity strategy must cover staff in different environments.

According to the CERT NZ report, good security practices are the best ways to safeguard against potential attacks. Your business can do that by adding protection layers around the information you store so it's safe from people who shouldn't access it. 

You’ll see that safeguarding against cybercriminals is a multi-layered approach. And everyone in your company must be on board.

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