Best practices keep IT users safe

By Karen Hanna

Monitoring your system, applying strong encryption and training employees on appropriate email and device use are just some of many recommendations offered by cybersecurity experts as part of efforts to prevent cyber attacks. The following suggestions are among many listed in the “2025 Trends Report”and the“2025 Cybersecurity Predictions” report, both published by Arctic Wolf, a security operations platform, and “Manufacturing Industry Cybersecurity: Anatomy of Cyberattacks on Plant Operations,” by Rockwell Automation:

• Inventory and identify the risk level of all assets. Identify and map all connected devices. Create and maintain an approved software list.

• Use network segmentation and least-privilege access controls to limit the possible damage should anything be compromised.

• Air-gap IT and OT systems.

• Perform continuous monitoring of all traffic in your systems.

• Take control of the cloud. Be wary of misconfigurations and overly permissive access practices.

• Pay special attention to securing Internet of Things (IoT) devices, which often are especially vulnerable.

• Talk about security. Provide ongoing, enterprise-wide security awareness training to all employees.

• Implement and enforce multifactor authentication.

• Implement email controls.

• Subscribe to security bulletins and incorporate their recommendations into regular security operations.

• Maintain a comprehensive, up-to-date disaster-recovery plan.

• Maintain proper backup practices: three copies of data, with two stored at separate locations on site, and one off site in a secure, private cloud.

• Test regularly. Conduct audits and penetration tests to identify areas of weakness and low visibility, and identify and prioritize remediation of significant vulnerabilities. Run simulations to be sure users understand email policies. Test the company’s recovery plan and backups.

• Consider purchasing cyberinsurance or incident-response (IR) retainers that provide help with ransomware negotiation.