Lessons From National Pandemic: Cybersecurity Insights

Five years ago, preparing for a national pandemic wasn’t necessarily the top priority for many organizations. However, many business owners today wish they could go back that far to start preparation in hopes that it could improve where they currently stand. While going back in time is impossible, learning from the current situation is likely the best alternative solution. Unfortunately for many businesses, the impact of COVID-19 has revealed serious security flaws. Hackers have taken advantage of the crisis by using fear tactics to deploy extremely effective phishing attacks and ransomware. Many employees have become vulnerable targets by working outside of the main office. An overflow of new targets has been made readily available for hackers, and they frequently aren’t missing the mark. No matter if your organization has experienced a security breach or if  workflow has continued uninterrupted, there are cybersecurity lessons we can all learn from this pandemic. Here are a few preparation lessons learned from this national crisis.

Valuing All Resources

Healthcare professionals experienced extreme shortages in supplies such as masks, testing kits, and even space for infected patients. Understanding the value of resources and how to manage them is a crucial lesson that all industries have learned from COVID-19. All organization should take the example of healthcare supplies and see how scarce resources can become. In regard to security, business executives should consider what resources are available in preparation for crisis. For example, if a company is forced to operate remotely, how many laptops and other various supplies are available for employees to utilize? Is security software available to all employees including those using their own personal devices? Do employees have access to cybersecurity education on working remotely? Understanding the extent of the resources available to company helps build a strong contingency plan.

Scaling Remote Work

Many organizations have utilized remote work for a long time. However, few organizations have scaled remote work to the level that a national pandemic can cause. There has certainly been a learning curve with adjusting to the number of workers working remotely and ensuring that security measures are adjusted accordingly. Many IT professionals are learning the capabilities of video conferencing and other communication applications and best practices for how they can be utilized. They have also worked hard to secure those applications and ensure that all remote workers are protecting themselves and the entire organization. Many CISOs have also been able to utilize cloud-based security software to keep their team operating smoothly and securely even while away from the office.

Personal Reflection 

While there are many general lessons a business owner can take away from the impact of COVID-19, perhaps the most important lessons are the personal ones. Everyone has experienced the pandemic in different ways, and there’s certainly not one true solution to solve every problem. Therefore it is very important for security professionals and business executives to be extremely observant during this time. Notes should be made on what worked and what didn’t. Any hitches in data security should be documented and prioritized by significance. Once normal business operations resume, it will be very important for executives to review any security incidents and analyze methods in which such incidents can be avoided in the future. 

Conclusion

It has been said many times that these are unprecedented times. This new reality of working outside of the office and digitalizing communication has created learning opportunities for everyone. The impact of COVID-19 has certainly revealed that businesses be prepared for anything. Adaptability is a strong quality to possess in any situation and business owners should work diligently towards preparing their staffs to adapt in the face of adversity as quickly as possible.

If weaknesses to your company’s cybersecurity were exposed as you adapted to a remote working situation, give NXTsoft a call. NXTsoft is ready equip your business to successfully operate securely in  any working environment. Stay safe and contact us with any questions or needs you might have.