It is our mission this year to raise cyber awareness both in the UK and around the world. What better time to shout about that than on the eve of World Telecommunication and Information Society Day (WTISD)? May 17th marks this occasion, which has been celebrated since 1969 when the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) was founded. Today we look at that and provide a reminder of our brand new Cyber Security Ready (CSR) packages.
WTISD – celebrated for 53 years
World Telecommunication day is celebrated annually. As well as marking the founding of ITU, it was also a nod towards the signing of the first International Telegraph Convention in 1865.
Then, in November 2005, the World Summit on the Information Society requested the UN General Assembly to declare May 17th as World Information Society Day. The idea was to focus on the importance of issues related to the Information Society. A resolution (A/RES/60/252) was then adopted in March 2006 stipulating that World Information Society Day was to be celebrated annually.
The following November in 2006, it was decided to celebrate both events at the ITU Plenipotentiary Conference in Turkey. Thus, World Telecommunication and Information Society Day was born. Celebratory acts are designed to stimulate ideas on the overall theme, which are then fed back to ITU and the rest of its membership in a report.
How can you and your organisation become cyber aware?
There are many actions you and your company can take to achieve this important objective. Perhaps the first is to embrace the fact that size notwithstanding, you are a target for cyber-criminals. In fact, anybody that uses a PC, laptop or other device are potential victims. The growth of IoT has augmented the threat levels too, with smart homes, smart cars and wearables (for example) all ‘ripe for the taking’. So then, what can you do to limit your vulnerabilities? Here are some tips that you can adopt straightaway:
- Ensure you adopt robust passwords or passphrases
- Deploy 2 Factor Authentication and / or Multi-Factor Authentication (2FA and MFA)
- Implement anti-virus software and keep it up-to-date
- Keep all devices updated regularly and carry out updates swiftly
- Be wary of cyber-criminal techniques such as social engineering and phishing
- In other words, do not open suspicious emails or messages
- Never click on links nor visit websites that you are unsure of
- Consider whether or not your organisation requires cyber security certification (i.e., Cyber Essentials)
- Similarly, check whether or not you need to have a Data Protection Officer in place (we’ll feature a guide on this in the near future but contact us now to request it in advance)
Organisations that are already doing the above can then take guidance on cyber security from experts, including CRIBB Cyber Security.
CRIBB CSR
You are probably well aware of the term, ‘Corporate Social Responsibility’. At CRIBB, we take that concept seriously but have adapted it somewhat to reflect our area of expertise. For us, ‘CSR’ stands for ‘Cyber Security Ready’ – how ready are you?
CRIBB Cyber Security Ready (CSR) is an annual IT security solution for companies large and small. With different plans on offer, there is something for everyone:
CSR LITE, PREMIUM LITE & PREMIUM
Our LITE package is for smaller organisations and provides a DPO plus cyber security support and advice on Cyber Essentials. PREMIUM LITE is an enhanced package that offers all this plus assessments, evaluations and more. PREMIUM is a fully comprehensive cyber security solution that will take your business to the next level and ensure you are 100% cyber security ready. Contact us to find out more and to see which package is right for you.
Cyber awareness is becoming increasingly more important for businesses and for individuals. We’re aiming to raise this in 2022 both here in the UK and around the world. We deliver cyber security solutions in Hertfordshire, where we are based, plus to clients around the globe. We power theICEway‘s security by design approach to IT. The key for us is to be as proactive as possible – assume you are a target for cyber-criminals and that data breaches are a real threat. Implement robust IT security strategies, policies and processes. Engage in regular training and make sure that from top to bottom, your employees are all cyber aware.
Contact us if you would like to know more; if you want to leave us a comment then feel free to do so below.