The number of cyber-attacks has increased significantly, and attackers are using more sophisticated methods to bypass security defenses. EpiOn constantly strives to find the balance between security and convenience. In this brief article, we will give you a quick security update and three simple steps you can take to help keep your organization secure.
Threats Are Escalating
Last quarter, the number of cyber-attacks spiked to an all-time high. These attacks are highly sophisticated in finding ways to bypass previously effective defenses. Once these criminals gain access to a system, they often remain dormant for months before committing devastating crimes, such as data theft, wire fraud, and ransomware. For organizations like yours, the average cost of a ransomware attack in 2023 is $455,000, and it can cause an IT outage lasting up to 21 days.
We understand that dealing with IT security can be quite frustrating, especially when we must constantly outsmart malicious actors. At times, it may seem like security measures are getting in the way, but we assure you that every policy decision is made with your productivity and ease of use in mind. Our goal is to strike a balance between security and convenience to ensure that your experience is both secure and user-friendly.
Our IT security practices are based on the CIS Controls, an industry standard for best practices. Research shows that being 80% compliant with these standards reduces the risk of ransomware by 97%.
What Can You Do?
Here are three simple steps you can take to help your company stay safe:
- Security Awareness Training: We send you a short 3-5 minute video monthly via email. Watch the video and take the brief quiz to stay security-conscious. To learn more about the security awareness training program, visit the EpiOn Portal here <Security Awareness Training>.
- Practice Password Discipline: It’s critical that you follow best practices for your passwords. They should be at least 18 characters with complexity. More importantly, every password for every app and website should be unique. To make this easy, we've provided you with a password management app called LastPass. To learn more about LastPass and our password policies, visit the EpiOn Portal here <LastPass - Password Vault>.
- Stay Vigilant: If you receive a questionable email or experience something strange with your device, ask the Help Desk to take a look. We are happy to help and have tried to make it easy for you to engage with the support team. To learn more about how to engage with support, visit the EpiOn Portal here <Accessing Technical Support>.
Summary
Again, thank you for your patience as we increase security. Thank you most of all for taking security seriously. If you are struggling with any policies, please let our Help Desk know. We are always happy to help.