How External Cybersecurity Helps You Stay Safe Online

Navigating digital landscapes is so second nature to many of us, it can be easy to forget how treacherous they can be. Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an excellent opportunity to remind your organization's employees about the importance of proceeding cautiously on the Internet. It can also offer cybersecurity professionals a chance to draw attention to their important work and review security measures that can keep your information safe.

In order to assist you in making the most of Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, here are some practical tips you can institute to boost your online safety. The theme for the 2023 Cybersecurity Awareness Month is "It's easy to stay safe online", and these simple tips to enhance your cybersecurity awareness will help that feel true for your organization.

The Significance Of Cybersecurity Awareness Month

Cybersecurity Awareness Month was launched in 2004 as a collaboration between the US Department of Homeland Security and the National Cybersecurity Alliance. What may have felt like a novelty in 2004 now can easily be acknowledged as a vital part of the ongoing battle against increasingly complex cyber threats. Dedicating an entire month to strategy in cybersecurity awareness only makes sense when, according to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, around 600,000 Facebook accounts are hacked every single day and the number one cybercrime is the imposter scam, resulting in significant financial loss to individuals and organizations.

By increasing your cybersecurity awareness, you can avoid the heavy costs of cyberattacks such as forced malware through unsafe links, phishing schemes, and other common cyberattacks.

Why External Cybersecurity Matters

External cybersecurity includes the observational and proactive tools an organization uses to disrupt security threats that originate from outside of the organization. It includes the protective measures in place to monitor the entire public attack surface of an organization and the protocols that act when a threat is identified. External cybersecurity uses a combination of AI-driven monitoring tools and human intelligence to protect your organization's information and reputation.

External cybersecurity works hand in hand with your internal security measures by preventing unauthorized access to information about your organization's internal infrastructure from being stolen or mishandled on the internet. When external cybersecurity is effectively handled, there is less strain on your internal security system because fewer threats from outside your organization are tolerated to reach a high threat level.

Boosting Your Online Safety With 10 Cybersecurity Awareness Month Tips

Boosting your online safety is not inherently difficult, and everyone in your organization can become cyber-smart by integrating these simple tips into their everyday internet activities.

Leverage Firewall Protection

A robust firewall system provides multiple layers of protection against malicious traffic, greatly decreasing the cyberattacks that require active neutralization. Firewalls can be generated and left to do their work, which makes them a great investment of time.

Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)

Multi-factor authentication (MFA) is offered by most websites, and employees should be encouraged or required to use MFA with any accounts they access that are linked to your organization. This prevents cybercriminals with compromised account information or passwords from accessing account information.

Stay Informed With Threat Intelligence

Threat intelligence adds a layer of security to online accounts by proactively alerting you to potential threats. ZeroFox AI and human threat intelligence systems keep you one step ahead of cyber threats through constant monitoring.

Keep Software Up to Date 

Staying up-to-date with software updates helps overcome the vulnerabilities that exist in outdated software. Pay attention to recommended security patches and respond to all identified threats.

Add Encryption To Your Email

The most popular email providers offer encryption to protect the information in your emails from being stolen or intercepted. Generally, there will be an option in your email settings to add encryption. You can add encryption to just one email or turn on the setting so all your emails will be protected.

Reset Passwords Constantly

Regularly changing account passwords helps mitigate the risk of your account being hacked, especially when combined with enabling MFA. Strong passwords will contain unique symbols, number sequences, and uncommon letter combinations.

Limit Remote Access

Unlimited remote access increases threat agents' opportunities to infiltrate your organization. You can choose to restrict what parts of your organization can be accessed remotely, and thereby keep your most sensitive data in the most secure digital landscape. Other strategies that can help include:

• Restrict who has access to remote work
• Discourage the use of public Wi-Fi networks
• Provide additional training and secure devices to employees who wish to work remotely.

Beware Of Phishing

Phishing is a highly effective cyberattack that uses social engineering techniques to steal data or money or gain access to an organization's sensitive information. Phishing attempts can generally be thwarted by encouraging an environment in your organization where all transactions involving money require two persons' sign-off, and where communications all exist in a closed and encrypted digital environment. If an employee is ever in doubt about the legitimacy of a request or communication, offer access to double-check with cybersecurity teams before responding.

Educate & Train 

Cybersecurity Awareness Month is an excellent opportunity to review with everyone in your organization the need for vigilance. Effective cybersecurity requires continuous reminders and learning, as the threats are constantly advancing their techniques to cause maximum damage.

Additional Resources And Cyber Awareness Month Activities

ZeroFox offers an exceptional array of resources to help you increase your organization's cybersecurity awareness this Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Our extensive blog articles clarify and add significance to many of the terms and concepts that drive cybersecurity. Stay engaged in continued learning through our on-demand webinar that explains more about the vulnerabilities of an organization's attack surface and how to maximize your protection using the most proven and effective cybersecurity measures.

Zerofox: A Game Changer In External Cybersecurity

ZeroFox has revolutionized external cybersecurity measures by using powerful AI-driven systems complemented with human intelligence to help identify and respond to threats before they infiltrate your internal structures.

Our external threat monitoring services cover aspects of the digital landscape such as:

• Domain monitoring
• Deep and dark web monitoring
• Compromised credential monitoring
• Advanced protection against phishing, fraud, and account takeover

Get a demo, and see how ZeroFox multifaceted solutions can work for you.