Use this cybersecurity checklist to assess your cybersecurity posture and identify areas for improvement.
1. Network Cybersecurity Checklist: Safeguard Your Network with These Key Steps
Network security is the foundation of your company’s defence system. It prevents malicious actors from accessing your sensitive data and internal systems.
✅ Do you use a business-grade firewall to protect your network?
A robust firewall can block unauthorised traffic and safeguard your internal systems. Ensure your firewall is configured properly and consistently updated.
✅ Is your Wi-Fi network secured with WPA3 encryption?
WPA3 is the latest standard for Wi-Fi encryption, offering stronger security than its predecessors. It ensures that sensitive data transmitted over Wi-Fi networks is protected.
✅ Have you segmented your network to limit access between departments?
Network segmentation reduces the risk of a cybercriminal accessing your entire network by restricting access to sensitive areas. This is particularly important if your business handles personal or financial data.
✅ Are VPNs used for secure remote access?
Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) encrypt data traffic, providing employees with a secure connection to your business network, especially for those working remotely.
✅ Do you conduct regular vulnerability scans and penetration testing?
Regular scanning can identify weaknesses in your network and help you patch them before an attacker exploits them. Penetration testing simulates an attack to identify vulnerabilities.
2. Endpoint Cybersecurity Checklist: Strengthen Device Protection Across Your Business
Endpoints are entry points for cybercriminals, so it’s essential to secure every device connected to your network.
✅ Is all business-critical software kept up to date with the latest patches?
Software updates are essential for closing security gaps. Keep your business-critical software, such as operating systems, productivity tools, and browsers, updated to avoid known vulnerabilities.
✅ Do all company devices have up-to-date antivirus and anti-malware protection?
This provides essential protection against malware, ransomware, and viruses. Ensure antivirus software is updated regularly and runs real-time scans.
✅ Are employees restricted from installing unauthorised software?
By controlling what software can be installed, you reduce the risk of malware being installed inadvertently. Educate employees on the dangers of downloading unauthorised software.
✅ Have you enabled automatic updates for operating systems and applications?
Automating software updates ensures you never miss critical patches, which can protect you from zero-day vulnerabilities.
3. User Access & Authentication Checklist: Control Who Accesses Your Critical Systems
Managing access to sensitive information is key to reducing internal and external threats.
✅ Do you enforce strong password policies and require multi-factor authentication (MFA)?
Enforcing strong, complex passwords and MFA can greatly reduce the risk of a security breach, as attackers cannot access accounts without more than just a password.
✅ Are user privileges assigned based on job roles (least privilege access)?
Providing employees with only the necessary access they need to perform their roles minimises the impact of any potential breaches.
✅ Do you regularly review and remove inactive user accounts?
Inactive accounts can be an easy target for cybercriminals. Regularly auditing and removing these accounts ensures that unauthorised access is minimised.
✅ Is Single Sign-On (SSO) implemented to improve security and usability?
SSO allows users to access multiple applications with a single set of login credentials, which simplifies access management while improving security.
4. Email & Phishing Protection Cybersecurity Checklist: Defend Against Common Cyber Threats
Phishing is one of the most common cyber attack methods, and employees are often the first line of defence.
✅ Is spam and phishing email filtering enabled?
Spam filters can automatically detect and block phishing emails. Ensure these filters are enabled and updated frequently.
✅ Have employees received cybersecurity awareness training on phishing scams?
Training your employees to identify suspicious emails can prevent them from falling victim to phishing scams, which could compromise your company’s security.
✅ Do you conduct regular phishing simulations to test staff awareness?
Simulating phishing attacks can help employees recognise fraudulent emails and improve their response to threats.
✅ Are suspicious email attachments and links automatically scanned?
A security system that automatically scans email attachments and links can prevent malicious content from being executed on your network.
5. Data Protection & Backup Checklist: Ensure Your Data is Secure and Recoverable
Data protection is fundamental to keeping your business’s sensitive information safe from loss or theft.
✅ Is critical business data encrypted both in transit and at rest?
Encryption protects data from unauthorised access by ensuring it remains unreadable to anyone who doesn’t have the decryption key.
✅ Do you have a reliable backup solution with both on-site and cloud backups?
A well-rounded backup strategy ensures your business data is recoverable in the event of a disaster, from ransomware attacks to hardware failure.
✅ Are backups tested regularly to ensure they can be restored successfully?
Backup testing ensures you can rely on your backup solution when you need it most. Always test backups on a regular basis.
✅ Do you comply with GDPR data protection requirements?
Data protection compliance ensures that your company is legally protected and your customers’ data remains safe.
6. Third-Party & Supply Chain Cybersecurity Checklist: Secure External Relationships
These relationships, while critical for your operations, can also pose a significant cybersecurity risk if not managed properly.
✅ Do you assess the cybersecurity practices of vendors and suppliers?
Regularly assess the cybersecurity practices of all third-party vendors and suppliers to ensure that they comply with industry standards.
✅ Are third-party integrations monitored for security risks?
Many businesses integrate third-party software or services into their operations, such as accounting tools, project management software, or customer relationship management (CRM) systems. However, these integrations can introduce new vulnerabilities. It’s essential to continuously monitor and assess these integrations for potential security risks.
✅ Is access to your systems limited for third-party service providers?
One of the most effective ways to protect your business from third-party risks is by limiting the access these external partners have to your critical systems. Only provide access to the systems, applications, or data that are essential for their work.
✅ Have you implemented a zero-trust security model?
The zero-trust model operates on the principle of “never trust, always verify.” This model is essential when working with third-party vendors and partners. It ensures that even after granting access to a vendor or external user, they must continuously authenticate their identity and prove their trustworthiness.
✅ Do you have clear, documented agreements with third parties regarding cybersecurity?
It’s essential to have formal, documented agreements with third-party vendors and suppliers that explicitly outline their responsibilities regarding cybersecurity. These agreements should include specifics about the security measures they are expected to implement and maintain. Additionally, they should cover compliance with relevant regulations such as GDPR or ISO/IEC 27001.
✅ Are you educating your partners and third-party vendors on security best practices?
Often, third-party vendors may not be fully aware of the cybersecurity risks they face, and this lack of awareness can create vulnerabilities. Providing training and educational resources to your external partners is a proactive step in ensuring they adhere to the same cybersecurity standards you set for your own business.
Final Thoughts
If you checked all the boxes, your business is on the right track! However, cybersecurity is an ongoing process, so it’s essential to regularly revisit these checks and adapt to the latest threats. By implementing these cybersecurity best practices, your business can significantly reduce the risk of cyber threats and ensure continuity in the face of adversity.
At Commercial Networks, we specialise in helping UK businesses stay secure with tailored IT security solutions. Need a cybersecurity audit? Get in touch today!
