How to avoid Russian cyber attacks

While the cyber security of your business should always be a high priority, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine means that businesses may be at an increased risk of cyber-attack.

Although there is no direct threat at present, the West is placing a range of sanctions on Russia. There could be retaliation, and Russia has used cyber-attacks in the past.

What does this mean for your business?

Advice from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) urges UK businesses to look at your security measures and follow its guidance on cyber security risk.

Businesses of all sizes will be at risk as the aim will be to cause as much disruption as possible. It means that you can’t afford to slack off on your usual cyber security measures. 

The first thing you need to do is have a backup

Should you be a target of a cyber-attack – such as ransomware for example – you will still be able to access all of your data and documents if you backup your files. See the NCSC's small business guide to backing up your data.

Install latest updates and patches

Check that all your applications, systems and devices are running the latest updates, and that any relevant patches are in place.

Check passwords and multi-factor authentication

You should also make sure best practice is being followed when it comes to password hygiene.

Make use of password managers to ensure your whole team uses unique passwords that are less susceptible to brute force attacks. You should also strongly consider using multi-factor authentication (where you get a login code on another device) across your applications for a higher level of security.

A report by Microsoft in 2019 concluded that two factor authentication effectively blocks 99.9% of automated attacks.

Update your incident response and recovery plan

Check your incident response and recovery plan is up-to-date and that everyone is aware of the steps they should take if they suspect a security breach. Your people need to know who to report a possible breach to, and who is responsible for protecting the business.

Consider cyber security training

You may also want to consider company-wide cyber security training. And this really does mean everyone from the most senior employee to the most junior. This will help to make all your staff aware of the most common threats and teach them how to spot scams and phishing emails. 

Ask for help

If your concerned about the cyber security of your business, contact a trusted expert that can address any concerns and ensure your data is as secure as possible. Sonar IT specialise in cyber security and data backups and would be happy to assist with any queries.

Blog by Sonar IT

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