Table of Contents
Why is workstation security important?
Best practices for workstation security
Key takeaways
Conclusion
FAQs
Why Is Workstation Security Important?
Have you ever felt the utter frustration of working with a malware-infected system? Finding and deleting all of the malware-affected files from a system may take hours. Due to this, a "clean install," which completely replaces the drive's contents, is preferred by many IT professionals. But if you perform a clean install, you'll lose any data that wasn't saved somewhere else. All of this might have been avoided with adequate workstation security.
Cyberattacks might seem improbable before they happen close to home. But if you use or own a workstation, you could at any time become a victim of a cyberattack. You must protect your virtual workstation from cyber criminals who are eager to access it, just as you would lock up your physical workstation to keep out intruders.
Although attackers use a variety of techniques to compromise systems, their attempts are unsuccessful when there are robust cybersecurity defenses in place. Therefore, if you are interested in securing your workstation, the following are the most useful tips.
Employ A Proactive Security Program
Your computer should be shielded from network attacks, malware, spyware, and viruses by a security suite. A product that only offers anti-virus protection is insufficient today. Malicious software is not always a virus. Some software products pose as helpful but are actually spyware. For example, a program that offers to alert you to discounts or deals, but also monitors everything you do online. Your security program ought to recognize that and shut it down.
If you use a system that belongs to your company, the IT staff most likely offers a security suite. Make sure your security software is activated and running. If it isn't, switch it on and start a full system scan right away.
Regularly Update Your Antivirus Software
Online malware and viruses are widespread, and attackers can use them to access your system. This is why you need to strengthen the security of your workstations by using antivirus software to defend them against online threats.
Without antivirus software, viruses have the ability to seriously harm your computer, delete crucial files, and slow it down.
By identifying immediate threats and ensuring the security of your data, antivirus software plays a crucial part in keeping your system secure. The majority of well-known antivirus programs provide automatic updates, shielding your computer from any new or emerging viruses. To ensure that your computer is virus-free, run routine virus checks.
Make A Data Backup
Back up any information you want to keep. Your IT team should be able to replace and update your operating system and applications without the need for backups.
Your data, however, cannot be replaced. Your email, documents, images, spreadsheets, presentations, audio files, and video files should all be backed up as a result.
Every important file that you possess needs to be backed up. Applications from the cloud are also included. It's true that just because data is stored in the cloud, that doesn't necessarily mean it's secure. Consider using a cloud-to-cloud backup solution if your company uses a SaaS application (like Salesforce) to store important data.
If your system does become infected or when the hardware eventually fails, your data will be safe because you have a backup. You acquire a new system, set it up, and then get to work. You can avoid the aggravation of battling a system that is infected with malware by having a backup.
Set Screen Locks
Although you can manually lock your screen, you're more likely to forget than when you set an automatic lock. Make sure you have a screen lock that uses a password for when you're finished using your computer or when you want to take a quick break.
After 15 minutes of inactivity, set your screen lock to activate. Depending on your surroundings, you can reduce the lock time to less than 15 minutes. In this way, accessing your system will be difficult for those with bad intentions.
Avoid using dates of birthdays or anniversaries as your password for your screen lock and instead create a strong password.
Put Application Control Policies into Effect
Application control policies are security measure that guards against malware on your network. You can choose whether to permit or forbid your team members from using productivity tools and apps by enforcing application control policies.
Only approved applications will run when application policies are applied. By compiling a list of acceptable applications and specifying the guidelines for utilizing these applications, you can enforce application control policies. Maintaining the application rules and routinely validating the application control rules are additional requirements.
Key Takeaways
It is important to secure your workstations as a lot of your important personal and professional work is done on your laptops and computers.
Workstations store crucial data and a cyber attack, like a data breach or ransomware attack can result in your data being compromised which can cause huge dollar bills, reputation, and customer loss.
In this blog, we have covered a few practices that you can do to make sure your workstations are secured.
These practices include implementing a proactive approach to security, updating your antivirus software, backing up your data, putting screen locks, and having application control policies.
Apart from these practices, it is also very important to note that having proper cybersecurity solutions in place to secure your workstations is crucial and should not be taken as an alternative to these practices.
Proactive Cybersecurity Solutions Can Help You Protect Your Workstation
Your workstation is one of your most valuable possessions because it serves as the hub for all of your professional endeavors. You should take extreme precautions to protect your workstation because an attack on it could have a serious impact on your life. Using a proactive security strategy is the best way to protect your system.
You don't have to wait for an attack to take place before acting. To strengthen your cybersecurity, implement the necessary security measures. Use the suggestions above to deter cybercriminals. They won't be able to enter if they get too close.
We at iBovi offer comprehensive and sophisticated workstation security solutions for all systems including Malware Detection, Cybersecurity Monitoring (All Logs, From Devices, Events & Login Attempts), Device Theft Protection, Vulnerability Management, and more. Our solutions are available at competitive prices and you can even get a 30-day free trial of our services!
FAQs
How can I improve the security of my workstations?
To improve the security of your workstations, you can follow the above best practices. These practices are such that can be practiced by you yourself. Besides, it is always recommended to have cybersecurity solutions in place for complete workstation security. With the increased cyberattacks, cybersecurity has become a must.
What can happen without workstation security?
Workstation security has become crucial as cyberattacks could happen to anyone who uses or owns a workstation at any time. Our workstations store and access information for personal and professional use, but in case of theft, hack, or attack, they can also put your data at risk. If you are a business owner, a full-functioning workstation is essential for day-to-day operations and to avoid downtime.
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