Can you imagine how essential activities within your company would be carried out without an internet connection? Currently, it's practically impossible to perform most work without this tool. However, despite the internet guaranteeing numerous benefits and conveniences in our personal lives and in the workplace , it also represents a significant risk to the security of your company's information. So how can you ensure greater internet security?
Businesses store various types of data, ranging from customer and consumer registrations to strategic data related to business growth. Because of this large amount of information, it's necessary to have training courses focused on data and device security.
According to data from the Getúlio Vargas Foundation , the proportion of workers in remote work arrangements changed little between 2021 and 2022 , demonstrating that the vast majority of companies chose to maintain this modality after the pandemic. This growth also revealed several vulnerabilities that managers must address to ensure greater internet security and information protection. While this work modality is beneficial for both companies and employees, it also demands special attention regarding digital security.
But how can internet access control help your company stay more protected against these threats? That's exactly what we'll be discussing in this article. Understand why investing in internet access control can make all the difference in your company's internet security.
Cybersecurity is a priority
Digital transformation has provided us with numerous tools that can be used to automate processes and ensure ever greater ease in the business environment. The advancement of these technologies has also contributed to the emergence of numerous digital threats. Cybercriminals have been investing in technologies to steal information and carry out scams online.
In addition to stealing and leaking information, these criminals can also infect company devices with viruses or malware, which can cause numerous problems:
- network and device performance
- Information theft;
- Decline in productivity;
- Costs associated with maintaining the systems and devices;
- Decline in profitability;
- Payment of fines imposed by the regulatory agency of the General Data Protection Law ;
- And many others.
In addition to these problems, there is a very dangerous cyber scam that is gaining increasing visibility. The ransomware scam is a strategy used by cybercriminals where a business's data is encrypted and a ransom is demanded.
The company will only be able to regain access to its information after the payment demanded by cybercriminals, which can interrupt operations for a long period of time and cause immense losses for the company . This happens with the help of hidden applications on devices, which can reach your company through fake emails and malicious websites.
To increase the reach of their scams, criminals have developed numerous techniques that can be extremely harmful and victimize even the most tech-savvy users.
For this reason, in addition to having an Internet Usage Policy that helps employees understand the importance of maintaining a proactive approach when using this tool, it is also necessary to have supplementary resources. In this sense, internet access control is essential to help increase internet security and prevent your employees from accessing these virtual traps.
5 risks found on the internet
As we mentioned earlier, while essential, the internet is also an environment full of pitfalls that can cause numerous losses for your business. Among the main problems that can affect your company in the digital environment, we can mention:
1. Theft and leakage of information
In the digital world, the data stored by your company is considered a highly valuable asset. This information is so important that specific legislation has been created solely to protect data in the digital environment . For this reason, data theft is one of the main problems caused by cybercriminals today.
To achieve this, they exploit vulnerabilities in networks and devices to gain unauthorized access to internal information and compromise data and accounts. This information can be used in various ways, including being passed on to malicious companies or disclosed, causing a significant impact on your business.
2. Industrial espionage
There is information stored by the company that could cause significant damage if it were to become known to other companies. Although it is an extremely dubious practice, industrial espionage is still widely used in the market by companies seeking to gain strategic and commercial advantages.
Protecting stored information is essential to prevent this type of problem from occurring and to avoid harming your company due to such actions. In addition to being accessed by cybercriminals through network inconsistencies and vulnerabilities, this confidential information can also be leaked by disgruntled employees or those who fall victim to cyberattacks.
3. Password Leak
Many cybercriminals seek to discover the passwords used by employees so they can gain access to a company's tools. To do this, they may not only carry out cyber scams, but also use software and applications that discover access passwords through trial and error.
These access passwords in the wrong hands can cause many problems for companies, as they expose confidential and strategic business information . In addition to controlling internet access, it's important that your company also has a tool that establishes access levels for each employee.
4. Ransomware
As we mentioned, ransomware attacks are an increasingly common strategy used by cybercriminals. Initially, the criminal gains access to a company's network and devices to access its information . Once this is done, the data is encrypted, and the company loses access to these documents. To regain access, the company is required to pay a ransom.
Also known as information or data kidnapping, this scam has been victimizing companies of all sectors and sizes , causing, in addition to financial losses, irreparable damage to the corporation's image in the market.
5. Phishing Scam
Phishing does n't mean it's no longer used by cybercriminals. Through fake emails and fraudulent websites, these criminals trick users into downloading malicious files or clicking on links that are traps.
By capturing the attention of their victims through disguise and social engineering techniques, these criminals are able to distribute these malicious documents and facilitate other types of scams , as well as fraudulently collect financial and access information.
Do you know how to maintain internet security for your company?
Internet access control is an efficient strategy that can help your company keep its information safe and secure. Although it may seem like a drastic measure, this control can be implemented intelligently and meticulously, guaranteeing several benefits for the company .
Considering all the risks mentioned above, is your company prepared to deal with these threats? It is very important that all employees, teams, and managers fully understand their role in the business's cybersecurity and the risks they are running by using the internet improperly.
With the right tool, a company can effectively control which pages and tools employees are accessing , how much time is being wasted on inappropriate internet access, and what digital behavior patterns its employees are exhibiting.
Often, even with a comprehensive and informative Internet Access Policy, employees persist in making unauthorized access attempts. This monitoring can be carried out to ensure that the time allocated for company activities is actually applied to essential tasks.
Is it possible to guarantee data protection?
For this, it is necessary to have an efficient and comprehensive resource, such as the various tools available on the market designed for internet access control:
- PfSense;
- DNS Filter;
- Lumiun Box;
- Lumiun DNS;
- And many others.
With the help of this type of resource, your company will be able to increase security and, as a bonus, guarantee even more productivity for the business , since so much time will no longer be wasted on unauthorized access.
Most internet security problems faced by companies today stem from the improper behavior and recklessness of employees. It's necessary for your team to be responsible about their internet use, but it's equally important that your company is prepared to handle this situation and provide the necessary tools and resources to increase security.
Internet access control has gone from being an option to an essential tool for companies that want to protect their information and ensure even greater productivity in their daily routines.
Until later!
