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Throughout 2024, cybersecurity will remain a top priority for businesses across Ireland. In the ever-evolving digital landscape, safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring business continuity are paramount.

To assist in fortifying Irish companies’ cybersecurity processes, the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) presents five New Year's resolutions that can bolster cyber-resilience in 2024.

  1. Commit to Regular Cybersecurity Health Checks: This involves comprehensive assessments of network vulnerabilities, software updates, and employee training. Just as individuals prioritise health check-ups, businesses should commit to routine cybersecurity audits to identify and address potential risks.
  2. Embrace Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): By requiring users to verify their identity through multiple means, such as passwords and mobile device confirmations, organisations can significantly reduce the risk of unauthorised access. Embracing MFA is a practical step towards fortifying the digital perimeter.
  3. Educate and Empower Employees: Invest in employee training programmes that enhance their understanding of cyber threats and best practices. An educated workforce serves as a formidable defence against phishing attacks, social engineering, and other cyber threats.
  4. Secure Cloud Environments: Embrace the advantages of cloud computing while ensuring robust security measures. Prioritise the implementation of encryption, access controls, and regular monitoring of cloud services. By securing cloud environments, businesses can harness the benefits of scalability and flexibility without compromising data integrity.
  5. Establish an Incident Response Plan: Prepare for the unexpected by creating and regularly updating an incident response plan. In the face of a cybersecurity incident, a well-defined plan ensures a swift and organised response, minimising potential damage. Resolve to review and test your incident response plan to guarantee its effectiveness in the rapidly evolving threat landscape.

To bolster cyber resilience even more, another New Year’s resolution that organisations in Ireland should consider is to adopt an information security management system. That’s according to Denis Ryan, who has global responsibility for information security with NSAI and is a certified Lead Auditor.

He said: “The adoption of an information security management system is a key strategic decision for an organisation. It is important that information security is considered in the design of processes, information systems, and controls. ”

ISO/IEC 27001 is one of the world’s best known Information Security Management Systems and the NSAI is accredited by the Irish National Accreditation Board (INAB) to certify organisations to ISO/IEC 27001:2022.

To learn more about certification to ISO/IEC 27001, register to attend a free webinar about the certification process on January 25th  2024 or to hear from clients who have undergone the certification process, visit nsai.ie/27001.

NSAI is a member of the IQNET Association, which is an international network of conformity assessment bodies. NSAI's membership of IQNET can help promote your certification on an international stage. Organisations certified by NSAI can also recieve an IQNET certificate for specified schemes, such as ISO/IEC 27001:2022. To find out more about IQNET, please visit here.

 

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