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Cybersecurity has become one of the biggest topics inside and outside of technology circles over the past two years. From securing personal devices for digital learning and remote work during the COVID-19 pandemic to safeguarding corporate data against cyberattacks, there’s been a seemingly endless news cycle dedicated to concerns around online safety.
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed or even powerless in the face of rapidly increasingly cybercrime, especially when there are fresh headlines about data breaches and phishing scams almost every day. But end-users – the people using technology to communicate, collaborate and connect – have an important role to play as the first line of defence when it comes to thwarting scammers, fraudsters and threat actors.
Unfortunately, many individuals are not aware of the most basic cybersecurity practices for everyday life. During Cybersecurity Awareness Month this October, Champion organisations like BUI are trying to change that – by sharing practical, actionable tips to help everyone #BeCyberSafe. Here are four basic online safety tips that you can implement right now.
Phishing (when a cybercriminal poses as a legitimate party in the hope of getting individuals to engage with malicious content or links) remains one of the most popular tactics among cybercriminals. In fact, about 90% of data breaches occur due to phishing, according to Cisco’s 2021 Cybersecurity Threat Trends report.
While phishing has grown more sophisticated, suspicious email characteristics (like poor spelling and grammar, typos, low-quality graphics and fake logos in a message) can be a tell-tale sign that the content is risky. Read our explainer blogs – Phishing: Can you spot these common types? and Three ways to shore up your defences against phishing – to learn more.
And remember… If you think you have spotted a phishing attempt, be sure to report the incident to your internal IT teams and service providers so that they can remediate the situation and prevent others from possibly becoming victims.
Having a unique, long and complex password for each of your accounts is one of the simplest ways to boost your online safety. And yet, only 43% of the public say that they “always” or “very often” use strong passwords, according to the National Cybersecurity Alliance’s 2022 Cybersecurity Attitudes and Behaviours Report.
Password cracking is one of the go-to tactics that cybercriminals turn to in order to access sensitive information. And if you are a “password repeater”, once a cybercriminal has hacked one of your accounts, they can easily do the same across all of your accounts. Read our blog – The importance of digital identity management – to find out why it’s vital to make your login credentials rock solid.
Multifactor authentication or MFA – which prompts a user to input a second set of verifying information or to sign-in via an authenticator app – is a very effective measure that anyone can employ to reduce the chances of a cybersecurity breach.
According to Microsoft, MFA can block over 99.9% of account compromise attacks. Therefore, it is a must for any individual who is looking to secure their devices and accounts. Remember, multifactor authentication – from one-time PINs to biometric scans – will put an extra barrier between your sensitive data and the cybercriminals who want to access it.
Read our blog – Three simple ways to improve your data privacy – to explore other ways of protecting your personal information.
Making sure that your devices are up to date should be an essential part of your cybersecurity routine. Don’t ignore software updates and patches! Cybersecurity is an ongoing effort, and updates are important for device maintenance and security.
Instead of trying to remember to check for updates, enable automatic updates whenever you can. This way, you’ll reduce your chances of having older, possibly vulnerable or risky versions of software that could be exploited by cybercriminals.
BUI is proud to be a Champion organisation for the 2022 edition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This article was originally provided by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and is republished here with permission.
Cybercriminals are targeting enterprises big and small to try to gain access to sensitive, confidential, or proprietary data and resources.
How are you protecting your IT environment? Stay ahead of threat actors by choosing a managed detection and response service from BUI.
We’re excited to announce that we won the Azure Infrastructure Partner of the Year Award, the Modern Work Partner of the Year Award, and the Security Partner of the Year Award at the FY22 Microsoft South Africa Partner Awards on 28 September 2022.
The gala dinner and prizegiving ceremony took place at the Marriott Hotel Melrose Arch in Sandton, where members of the local Microsoft Partner ecosystem gathered together, in person, for the first time since 2019. Microsoft SA’s awards evenings in 2020 and 2021 were held virtually as lockdown protocols remained in place at the height of the coronavirus pandemic.
The Microsoft SA Partner Awards are presented annually to acknowledge the partner organisations that have excelled in delivering Microsoft solutions over the past 12 months. Award submissions are reviewed by a panel of judges and entries are evaluated in terms of partner competencies, cloud transformation, entrepreneurial spirit, and sales performance, among other factors.
This year, Microsoft SA CEO Lillian Barnard praised partners for pushing beyond all limits to modernise, transform, and enable success for enterprises in South Africa and around the world. In her opening speech on the night, Barnard remarked: “Let me start first by just expressing my gratitude on behalf of the Microsoft company for all that you’ve done in our markets, and in our business. The work that you continue to do in our country is just simply inspiring. You are driving digital transformation and innovation, and you are doing this with a deep sense of commitment.”
BUI was named Azure Infrastructure Partner of the Year for its proven success in helping customers modernise their infrastructure and migrate their applications and data to the cloud. “We’re always thrilled to receive this award,” says Managing Director Ryan Roseveare, highlighting the ninth time that BUI has won this award.
“This accolade is a tremendous achievement in recognition of our team’s focus and positive outcomes. It’s also a validation of our consistency, our high standard of work, and our dedication to our customers. We’re actively driving digital transformation by helping businesses to become more agile and more resilient with Azure’s extensive range of solutions,” adds Roseveare.
As the Modern Work Partner of the Year, BUI was acknowledged for enabling performance and productivity with Microsoft’s comprehensive set of cloud-powered tools for the modern workplace. “From Office 365 to Microsoft Teams and Microsoft Viva, we’re empowering customers with the technology they need to communicate and collaborate effectively in remote and hybrid scenarios,” says National Sales Manager Paul Wallett.
“We’re also supporting our customers as they adapt to new ways of working, and making sure that they’re able to leverage the full power of the cloud and the Microsoft resources at their disposal to take their enterprises to the next level,” he continues. “The whole BUI team is invested in creating real value for customers – by delivering cutting-edge business solutions and world-class service.”
Roseveare is thrilled to take home the Security Partner of the Year award yet again – especially after the recent expansion of BUI’s security portfolio. “In an environment where the right skills are harder to find than ever before, we’re putting more energy and focus into our security solutions and services – because customers are looking for trusted partners to help them protect their digital environments. From our own Cyber SoC and MDR facilities, and as part of Microsoft Security Experts, we’re helping businesses to manage and strengthen their cyber defences,” he says.
“We’ve earned our reputation as a leader in the security space by combining talent and technology,” notes Wallett. “Our security operations division includes some of the most highly skilled and highly certified professionals in the country, and we’re constantly innovating with the Microsoft stack to offer our customers bespoke solutions to accelerate their security.”
With three new Microsoft Partner of the Year awards to celebrate, Wallett and Roseveare are quick to praise the BUI team. “I’m so proud of everyone,” says Wallett. “It’s rewarding to receive these accolades and to be acknowledged in our industry, but none of it would be possible without the dedication shown by our people every day.” Roseveare agrees. “It’s wonderful to see the team’s efforts honoured by Microsoft. We look forward to another year of collective success as we continue to support customers through every stage of the cloud journey,” he concludes.
Cybercriminals are targeting enterprises big and small to try to gain access to sensitive, confidential, or proprietary data and resources.
How are you protecting your IT environment? Stay ahead of threat actors by choosing a managed detection and response service from BUI.
BUI is proud to be a Champion organisation for Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October 2022. Launched in 2004, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is held annually in October, and is regarded as a leading global initiative in the promotion of cybersecurity awareness and best practices.
The Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champions Programme is a collaborative effort among businesses, government agencies, industry associations, non-profit organisations, universities, and individuals. This year’s theme for Cybersecurity Awareness Month is “it’s easy to stay safe online” and Champions – including BUI and technology giants like Microsoft and Cisco – will be sharing actionable advice to help people improve their digital safety.
“We’re excited to take part in Cybersecurity Awareness Month for the fifth consecutive year,” says BUI Managing Director Ryan Roseveare. “Worldwide campaigns like this, which are designed to drive public awareness and public action, show that cybersecurity really is a team effort. We all have a role to play in protecting the devices, applications and networks that enable our personal and professional activities.”
From smartphones and wearable devices to home-automation systems, technology is becoming more intertwined in our lives every day. And while the evolution of technology is accelerating at a rapid pace, cybercriminals are working just as hard to find ways to compromise technology and disrupt business operations.
Cybersecurity Awareness Month aims to highlight some of the emerging challenges in the world of cybersecurity today, and provide straightforward and actionable guidance that anyone can follow to create a safer and more secure digital world for themselves and their loved ones.
This year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month will focus on four key areas:
Now in its 19th year, Cybersecurity Awareness Month continues to build momentum and impact with the ultimate goal of providing everyone with the information they need to be more secure online. BUI is proud to support this online safety awareness and education initiative, which is co-led by the National Cyber Security Alliance and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) of the United States Department of Homeland Security.
For more information about Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2022, visit the staysafeonline.org website. And be sure to follow BUI on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and YouTube for helpful cybersecurity tips and #BeCyberSmart resources throughout the month of October!
