Company workstations are the favourite target of cyberattacks. Implementing quick and easy tips for protecting your employees' workstations is one of the key measures for securing your infrastructure.
Top 10 effective measures to adopt
If workstations are poorly protected, the company runs the risk of having its confidential data stolen via hacking. More importantly, workstations can become attack gateways to reach more sensitive systems within the company. There are some simple measures which you can apply to guard against these risks.
- Make employees aware of how to protect their workstations. This campaign focuses on theft, unlawful access, regular data backup and good email management (most common means by which to be hacked).
- Check that automatic updating of the operating systems is properly activated.
- Carry out application updates if not done automatically.
- Delete unused applications which, over time, may contain security loopholes.
- Delete default services that are not used, such as .NET Framework or the “Microsoft Print to PDF” function in Windows.
- Regularly change and strengthen passwords.
- Install an anti-virus or attack detection tools.
- Take account of the list of programs provided by Microsoft but considered to be potentially dangerous. Example: the Excel calculation program.
- Encrypt sensitive data storage media, starting with laptop hard drives.
- Install an EPP (Endpoint Protection Platform) for enhanced protection. For example: with application or device control.
The importance of good reflexes
Employees are not always aware of the risks, to them or to the company, caused by a poorly secured workstation. It is, therefore, essential to explain this properly to them and to show them good habits to adopt, e.g. by sharing this list with them!
