The Skeptical Mindset Needed In Cyber Security

In life, we are taught to be trusting of those around us, but when it comes to cyber security, a more skeptical mindset is needed. Cyber criminals' prey on our natural instinct to trust. Having a skeptical attitude can be the difference between a secure network and suffering a data breach. 

Phishing Scams 

Cyber security awareness training teaches employees to be skeptical of everything they do on the Internet. From clicking on links and downloading files, to responding to emails and sending sensitive information, cyber security awareness training focuses on common scams that bad actors engage in to obtain sensitive information. The most prevalent example of cyber criminals taking advantage of human error is in phishing scams. In a common phishing scam, a bad actor may disguise themselves as a supervisor to request sensitive data from an employee or provide false financial data via email. Without the proper training or instilled skepticism, most employees will comply without thinking twice.

Employees should be taught to exercise skepticism when they are met with a request for private data. To avoid falling for these scams, employees need to practice verifying email addresses, examining emails for any signs of deception, and being cautious of clicking on links or downloading attachments that may contain malware. Empowering individual employees with cyber security best practices helps strengthen your security practices across your organization, leading to a more secure network.

Zero Trust Security

In addition to cyber security training, a Zero Trust security model should be implemented to support your efforts to protect your network. Zero Trust requires all users, both inside and outside the network, to be authenticated, authorized, and continuously validated before they can have access to applications and data. Zero Trust essentially assumes that everyone is a threat until proven otherwise. This is different from the traditional “trust but verify” method, which automatically trusts users and endpoints within the organization’s perimeter, putting the systems at risk.

Execution of Zero Trust combines strategies such as multi-factor authentication, identity protection, microsegmentation, next-generation endpoint security, and robust cloud workload technology to verify a user’s identity and maintain system security. Zero Trust addresses the modern challenges of today’s business, including the security of remote workers, hybrid cloud environments, and ransomware threats. 

Embracing a skeptical mindset in every phase of your cyber security model will better protect your network and systems from data breaches and cyberattacks. 

Entara: Your Partner for IT And Cyber Security Solutions

Entara offers complete, integrated IT and cyber security solutions tailored to your company’s unique needs and challenges. We employ a range of technology services with integrated security solutions to better protect your system, network, and data. Connect with us to learn more about how we can support your organization.