5 Highly Effective Habits to Keep You Cybersecure this October

October marks Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and while every month should focus on cybersecurity (in our humble opinion), there’s no better time to strengthen your business’s defenses. These days, any individual or organization can be a target, which means developing strong cybersecurity habits is crucial for safeguarding your company’s data and operations.

No matter your technical background or level of expertise, implementing these protocols can become second nature with a bit of practice. Whether you’re just getting started or need a refresher, every business owner should adopt these five essential cybersecurity habits to ensure lasting protection.

1. Practice Better Password Hygiene

Consider the following:

  • To access their online accounts, the average person uses between 70 and 80 passwords.
  • Remembering this many passwords is impossible for just about everyone.
  • Reusing the same password across multiple accounts is one of the riskiest behaviors you can engage in when it comes to cybersecurity.

So, how do we reconcile the three? The answer lies, as it so often does, in technology.

Password managers mean that even if you’ve got hundreds of totally unique, fully fortified passwords, you’ll never have to struggle with searching for one again. Some managers are free, and they’re all easy to use. They also make accessing shared company logins much faster and more secure than messaging the credentials over Teams every time they’re needed.

Though password managers can create strong, randomized passwords for you, should you wish to create (or update) your own, there are a few key things to consider.

When you’re setting up a new password, you’ll typically be required to use:

  • 8-12 characters minimum (12+ is advisable)
  • A mixture of upper and lowercase
  • Special characters (!?$%*&, etc.)

It’s also best practice to avoid information that could be found (or guessed easily)—via your social media accounts, some examples being:

  • Names – of pets, spouses, children, friends, or your workplace
  • Dates – birthdates and wedding anniversaries
  • Adding ‘123’ – to default or existing passwords. The same goes for “1234”, “12345”, “123456”, “1234567”, and—well, you get the idea.

You can download our free password policy checklist here. And—we probably don’t have to tell you this—“password” is never a good choice.

2. Explore Encryption Solutions

If you ever imagined encryption as an action-packed scene from a spy thriller, the reality is a little underwhelming. Today’s data encryption doesn’t come with flashy codebreaking or high-stakes drama, but that’s exactly what makes it so powerful for businesses. While it may not satisfy your inner child’s thirst for adventure, this quiet, behind-the-scenes protection is a must for keeping your data safe.

Most email services now automatically encrypt your messages and data, making it difficult for hackers to access them whether they’re in transit or stored. And the best part? You won’t even notice it’s happening. Modern encryption is designed to work in the background, undetected, much like a skilled undercover agent who operates in silence but keeps your most valuable assets secure.

It’s not flashy, but reliable data encryption is one of the most reliable defensive tools a business can have in its arsenal.

3. Remember to Report Suspicious Messages

When it comes to cybersecurity, silent resignation gets your data stolen. When you think you’ve spotted the signs of a potential phishing attempt, don’t take it upon yourself to investigate. Leave those suspicious-seeming links alone and report the email or message as spam (there’s usually an option for this near the sender’s email address or username). Then, delete it.

Depending on your business’s established phishing procedures, it might also be worth letting your IT provider or security analysts know about the message, especially if it’s particularly convincing (i.e., it appears to be impersonating someone else at your company, a vendor, or a client), so they can warn your wider organization to be extra vigilant.

Here’s what to look out for:

  • An unusual sender domain.
  • Generic greetings – “Hello [recipient]”, for example.
  • Password resets you haven’t requested.
  • Mismatched fonts or characters that don’t match the rest of the text.
  • An urgent or unexpected request you’d usually expect to be alerted about.

4. Layer Up Your Defenses

As far as cybersecurity’s concerned, relying on just one line of defense won’t cut it. A multi-layered approach—covering everything we outlined in this checklist—offers a much stronger shield against cyber threats. Think of it like locking both the front door and the windows to your business, ensuring every entry point is protected.

Multifactor Authentication (or MFA), for example, adds an extra verification step when logging in. In addition to entering your password, you’ll occasionally be asked to provide a second form of identification, like a One-Time Passcode sent to your phone. Why? Because your system has no way of knowing if it’s really you, a colleague or a cybercriminal trying to gain access.

By adding that extra layer of protection, even if someone has your password, they won’t get far without the additional verification step. It’s all about making sure your valuable data stays secure, no matter how persistent the threats.

5. Get with the Times

Those “an update is available” notifications never pop up at a convenient time, do they?

When you’re elbow deep in a quarterly report or racing to meet a deadline, it’s easy to click “remind me later” without a second thought. Often, it’s almost automatic. But it’s important not to let software updates fall into the “I’ll get around to it eventually” abyss, because—let’s be honest—you won’t. At least, not until a system shutdown forces you to, and that is most certainly not going to occur at a convenient time.

Make staying on top of updates less of a chore by turning on automatic updates where you can and scheduling them to occur outside of working hours where you can’t. If you’re already using cloud-based platforms, you’ve even less to worry about. These will automatically be updated as soon as new security patches and bug fixes are released—without you having to do a thing.

The secret is to treat updates as a simple, proactive defense measure rather than an annoying interruption, because keeping your systems current is one of the easiest ways to stay ahead of cyber threats.

Make October Your Most Cybersecure Month Yet

Of course, you shouldn’t stop making cybersecurity a focus when November 1 rolls around—but once you implement these steps consistently, carrying them through your business or personal accounts becomes automatic.

Let your efforts this month become your new normal, rather than an annual tradition, and ensure you stay cybersecure year-round. By committing to ongoing vigilance, you can protect your data, your business, and your peace of mind long after Cybersecurity Awareness Month has ended. The best defense is consistency—so keep these habits alive and make cybersecurity a permanent priority.

Anderson Technologies: Real People Creating Business-Changing IT Solutions

For over 25 years, Anderson Technologies has leveraged our expertise for the benefit of our clients, supplying them with suitable, secure IT and strategic guidance for their technological future.

We’re a dynamic team of IT professionals with over 200 years of combined experience and specialist certifications to back up our knowledge. As a trusted advisor, we don’t just focus on today. We strive to take your technology lightyears ahead of your competition and scale with your business’s success. 

Ready to secure your business? Contact us today to get started.

In 2022, Hadley and her husband Corbitt decided to return to St. Louis to join the family business. As part of the second generation, Hadley brought fresh perspectives from her time at AT&T and was drawn to helping the company grow the right way by implementing scalable systems and processes, while maintaining the core value-centric culture.
 
As a Project Manager, Hadley facilitated technical projects and the development of interdepartmental playbooks while gaining a deep understanding of the inner workings of the business operations. Now, as the Project Management Lead, Hadley is known for her driven, process-oriented leadership and her dedication to finding solutions for every challenge no matter how daunting it may first seem.

Born in Yokohama, Japan, and raised in Malaysia and St. Louis, Corbitt developed a unique global perspective. He graduated from Randolph-Macon College with a degree in Political Science and Spanish where he was a member of the men’s basketball team.

Before joining Anderson Technologies, Corbitt built a successful career at AT&T which initially started in the B2B Sales Development Program – a highly-competitive sales training where he was stack-ranked against his 100+ peers based on quota attainment to determine where in the company one was placed. In Chicago, as part of the National Fiber Organization, he became a top-performing sales professional, selling AT&T’s fiber, networking, and cybersecurity services and learning the value of relationship building, perseverance, and grit. Later, as a Senior Sales Solutions Engineer at AT&T headquarters in Dallas, he refined his technical expertise, leadership skills, and consulting abilities.

Currently pursuing his MBA at Washington University in St. Louis, Corbitt blends strategic thinking, technical knowledge, and a client-first approach to help Anderson Technologies continue serving companies and organizations across the country.

Corbitt Grow Headshot