International. There are several companies that have begun to work in the offices and face a new professional reality focused on mixed work environments, which combine the face-to-face format with teleworking.
This is possible thanks to new technologies and mobile devices, which offer countless benefits, but also pose a source of danger to the security of corporate information if it is not protected.
Given this scenario, Check Point Software Technologies advises companies to implement a cybersecurity strategy based on these pillars:
1. Segment access to information: accessibility to corporate data is essential for the proper functioning of any company. However, the excess of "freedom" to consult corporate information can pose a serious risk to any company, especially considering that, at present, access is not centralized but occurs from different places and through multiple devices. Therefore, it is necessary to segment access to information in such a way that each employee has at his disposal only those data necessary for him to develop his functions. Thanks to this measure, the risk of a ransomware attack, for example, moving laterally through the network is significantly reduced, thus avoiding the risk of contagion.
2. Protect mobile devices: In addition to accessibility, data mobility is one of the main points to take into account when establishing an information protection strategy. With this paradigm shift, remote work implies a multi-device situation in which security is not always taken as a priority, which makes them the center of cybercriminals' malicious campaigns. In fact, 27% of companies globally suffered cyberattacks that compromised the security of mobile devices, according to Check Point's 2019 Security Report. For this reason, it is key to equip these devices with protection measures against any cyberthreat, since in this way corporate information is protected.
3. Teaching employees to prevent cyberattacks: training employees in basic cybersecurity concepts remains a pending issue for Spanish companies. However, from Check Point they warn that it is increasingly necessary, it hardly consumes resources (economic, material, etc.) and serves to configure a first level of security against attacks such as phishing that, according to a Verizon study, is the starting point of 90% of cyberthreats. It is necessary to make employees see that everyday actions such as opening an email or clicking on a link can become the window for a cybercriminal to generate chaos and cause serious damage to a company.
4. Use secure communication systems: videoconferencing applications remain one of the most used tools in this new work reality, which combines presence in the office with remote modalities. For this reason, it is essential to use those services that offer guarantees in terms of security during telematic meetings, when sharing documents, etc. To do this, it is essential to implement a password system to access the meeting, so that only those who have received it can enter the virtual room in which the meeting takes place.
5. Optimize security tools: a key element within the corporate data protection strategy is the range of security tools and solutions available. Although we are in full struggle against the Gen V of cyberthreats, and that we already have on the horizon a new generation of attacks that stand out for being increasingly sophisticated and able to avoid any security media, most companies still secure their computer environments with cybersecurity solutions from 10 years ago, that only protect against viruses or application attacks. In this sense, it is necessary to update the tools and adopt an approach based on threat prevention, thus avoiding attacks even before they happen.
"We live in a changing environment that tests the resilience and cybersecurity strategy of Spanish companies. The Covid-19 crisis has been a tremendous challenge and has highlighted the lack of preparation of many companies, which have seen their defenses greatly diminished in the face of the wave of cyberattacks that we have witnessed in recent months. For this reason, in the face of the new professional scenario that arises, it is key to have a solid, robust and effective security strategy to ensure that all corporate assets are safe from the cyber threats of the digital world, "says Mario García, general director of Check Point for Spain and Portugal.
