New Year Security Reminder

Many consumers received internet-connected devices, new computers, phones, tablets, smart appliances and wearable tech as gifts this holiday season and toys will come online as December ends and January begins. In addition, many companies choose the start of the new year as time to launch new products and changes to their IT infrastructure, with many new applications going live, network changes being performed, and projects coming to a close. While all of this new technology offers greatly increased productivity and convenience, it also exponentially broadens the possible vulnerabilities available to misappropriate and misuse private or sensitive data.

With that in mind, there are as few crucial things to carefully consider as we head into 2019.

Assess your security posture – Whether it is the addition of a new segment to a corporate network, or a new smart television in your residence, properly assessing the risks of new devices is key to protecting your information. Almost all new technology will include features that can be customized for specific uses, and it is important to examine your options, particularly when it comes to the security settings versus the convenience options that are available, and determine what configurations will best meet your needs without exposing your data any more than is necessary.

Password management – With new technology comes new accounts, for use and administration. Follow recommended best practices for strong password creation, and of course it is imperative that the details and passwords be unique for each of these new accounts. Any new devices that come with default passwords should of course have these changed immediately.

Firmware updates – As new technology hits the market and is put into production around the globe, new vulnerabilities are discovered. No matter how thorough the testing is during the product development process, having a new product put to use by thousands or millions of users around the world will result in situations or use cases that were unanticipated by the developers. Often there will be a flurry of new security patches that become available after the holidays as this occurs. Keeping up-to-date with these releases is paramount to staying secure.

As always, Nuspire Networks recommends that any new technology be evaluated carefully before it is implemented. If you have any questions or need any assistance with staying secure in the new year, please do not hesitate to contact us.