Cyber security best practices for employees in enterprise organisations

Enterprise organisations usually have a larger, and more diverse workforce - This means different kinds of workers are in play: some in front of a computer in the office, and some out on the road, or even working using a customer's Wi-Fi or facilities, not to mention all different levels of technical capability. Employees, as the first line of defence, play a crucial role in safeguarding their organisation's data and sensitive information.

What are some essential cyber security best practices that employees should follow to enhance their organisation's security posture?

Protect information from spear phishing
Protecting personal and organisational information is fundamental in preventing cyber threats, phishing awareness training is a large component of that, enterprise employees need to learn how to make security a habit.

Always use personal devices for sensitive tasks like banking or online shopping, rather than company-issued devices. Never access personal or work accounts on public computers or networks, which are vulnerable to cyber attacks. It's a good best practice to never use public devices or networks at all.

Spear phishing attacks hope an employee will casually or during business as usual, comply with an urgent request. Don't share trade secrets, sensitive or financial information (such as corporate email addresses, employee IDs, or credit card information) over email or unsecured networks. This can lead to unauthorised access to both personal and company data.

Spear phishing can be the start of a huge concern for enterprise-level organisations if any financial actions are taken as a result. This can impact the reputation of the organisation, and even if the financial repercussions aren't business ending, the eroded trust can mean lost revenue.

Secure Home Networks

Does your organisation support working from home, or hire remotely? If so, securing home networks is important.

Employees working from home should:

Change their home router's password and SSID (service set identifier) regularly to a strong and unique passphrase to prevent unauthorised access. Use secure Wi-Fi networks and consider using a VPN (Virtual Private Networks) recommended by their organisation, and never use public Wi-Fi.

Complete any security awareness training that pertains to working remotely, and learn the procedures and expectations of your security department. Check out our course catalogue and create a learning journey specifically for WFH and remote workers.

Adopting these cyber security best practices is essential for employees to help protect their organisation from cyber threats. Every enterprise is different; however, these best practices are recommended for every organisation, regardless of size or industry.