Most cyber attacks are conducted by unskilled individuals and are very basic in nature and cyber security is an important aspect to guard any organisation from cyber attacks. There are five essential technical controls that any organisation can put in place the following:

1. Use a firewall to secure your internet connection

Many organisations will have a dedicated boundary firewall which protects their whole network. This effectively creates a ‘buffer zone’ between your IT network and other, external networks.

2. Choose the most secure settings for your device an software

always check the settings of new software and devices and where possible, make changes which raise your level of security. For important accounts such as banking and IT administration, you should use two-factor authentication

3. Control who has access to your data and services

To minimise the potential damage that could be done if an account is misused or stolen, staff accounts should have just enough access to software, settings, online services and device connectivity functions for them to perform their role. 

4. Protect yourself from viruses and other malware

Viruses are another well-known form of malware (malicious software). These programs are designed to infect legitimate software, passing unnoticed between machines. A user may open an infected email attachment, browse a malicious website, or use a removable storage drive, such as a USB memory stick, which is carrying malware. You can use anti-malware/virus software to detect and treat them.

5. Keep your devices and software up to date

Manufacturers and developers release regular updates which not only add new features, but also fix any security vulnerabilities that have been discovered. Therefore it is important that manufacturers support the device with regular security updates.