Hackers are targeting charitable organizations more than ever before. A recent survey found that 66 percent of security professionals consider hackers to be the biggest threat to their organization. If your nonprofit doesn’t have cyber security measures in place, you could put your data and reputation at risk. In today’s digital world, hackers can easily find unsecured servers and sensitive information online. That’s why it’s so important that you take proactive steps to keep them from breaching your network. Your charity data is probably the most sensitive information you have as an organization. It could contain personal information about donors, volunteers, or even staff members – which is exactly why hackers are so willing to target it. If you aren’t already taking precautions to protect your charity data from being hacked, here are five tips that you can use right away:
Ensure You Have Strong Passwords
Your network is only as secure as your weakest password. You can have all the latest anti-virus software installed and a firewall that blocks all malicious traffic, but if your users are using simple passwords that are easy to guess, hackers could get in anyway. Make sure all your employees know how important it is to use strong passwords. Ideally, you want to make sure they’re using long passwords that include a variety of characters (letters, numbers, and symbols). You should also make sure they don’t use the same passwords for multiple accounts as well. It’s also a good idea to implement two-factor authentication on all your accounts as well. That way, even if a hacker figures out your password, they won’t be able to log in.
Keep New Software Up to Date
New software releases often include important security patches that could help prevent your organization from being hacked. Unfortunately, many organizations fail to update their software regularly. This can leave you vulnerable to a wide variety of threats. For example, an outdated version of Adobe Flash could leave your network open to being hacked. You must keep all of your software up to date. This includes everything from operating systems to security tools. You should also make sure that all of your employees are keeping their software up to date as well. That way, you can reduce the risk of a security breach on all fronts.
Install a Trusted Anti-Virus Program
Many charities use anti-virus software, but not all of them are effective. If you want to be sure you’re protected against a wide variety of viruses and malware, you should invest in a trusted anti-virus program. You should also make sure that all your employees are using it. While anti-virus software can protect your network from being hacked, it’s not foolproof. You should also make sure that you’re taking steps to keep your charity data from being breached. You may want to consider storing sensitive information on a virtual private server. That way, only those with the correct login information will be able to access your data.
Enable Network Monitoring
One way hackers try to infiltrate networks is via brute force attacks. They’ll just keep trying random passwords until they find one that works. Network monitoring tools can help you to detect when this type of attack is occurring. It could be an indication that a hacker has found your network and is trying to log in. You must have the right network monitoring system in place. Ideally, you should use a tool that can detect both automated attacks and manual attempts to hack your network.
Don’t Forget the Basics of Network Security
Even if you’re doing everything right, hackers could still manage to break into your network. If you have unsecured Wi-Fi, for example, a hacker could easily break into your system. Make sure that you have a strong password on your router. You should also consider investing in a VPN (a virtual private network) to protect your data when you’re on the go. VPNs create an encrypted tunnel for all your internet traffic. This helps to protect your data from being intercepted by third parties.
Conclusion
As you can see, there are many ways for hackers to breach your network. Unfortunately, it’s easy for organizations to fall prey to simple network security breaches. That’s why it’s so important to take proactive steps to keep hackers from accessing your data. To protect your charity data from being hacked, make sure you have strong passwords, keep new software up to date, install a trusted anti-virus program, enable network monitoring, and don’t forget the basics of network security.
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