Posted On 05 Feb 2019

In 2019, more data is going to be created and exchanged than ever before. Despite that being the case, general awareness and understanding around cybersecurity is incredibly poor.

Individuals and businesses alike must take the necessary steps to protect themselves from data theft, and it’s a difficult task. As security flaws result in events like the Wannacry attack from 2017, the stakes are incredibly high.

Corporate environments must be particularly careful. Staff use a variety of computers, smartphones and tablets and this means that there are more potential doors open than ever before for would-be hackers. The potential for data breaches is massive, and the consequences of one can be serious.

By failing to properly secure personal data, some businesses run the risk of receiving harsh fines and penalties. Likewise, if sensitive financial information is exposed, the company runs the risk of financial ruin and a host of business-critical issues.
Microsoft has released a Cybersecurity Health Check Assessment to help businesses assess just how prepared they are to fight back against would-be hackers.

A Free Assessment
Microsoft has decided to offer this assessment to help individuals and businesses around the world to better manage their data security. Of course, its recommendations will also touch upon the products that it offers, but that is to be expected.
This is certainly a useful and important tool for businesses, and it’s recommended that you use it in order to assess the quality of your security posture.

Four Key Questions
The assessment asks questions in four key areas in order to assess the cybersecurity readiness of a particular company. A set of recommendations are created based upon those answers, and these help companies to address vulnerabilities within their data security plan.
The four areas are related to preventing identity compromise, expanding device controls, safeguarding infrastructure and securing apps and data. These are the critical areas for all businesses and constant assessment of performance in these areas is essential.

Actionable Tips
These tips and recommendations are very useful and practical. It’s just important that once you receive the report, you take action: in 2019, no business can afford to have poor data security systems.