October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, making it the perfect time to evaluate how your organization is protecting itself from today’s most pressing digital threats.
Here’s the reality: most cyberattacks don’t come from elite hackers. They stem from everyday habits—like clicking a malicious link, skipping a software update, or reusing a compromised password. These small missteps can have big consequences, especially for industries like manufacturing, property management, and charitable foundations, where sensitive data and operational continuity are critical.
The good news? Small changes in daily routines can lead to major improvements in security. Here are four cybersecurity habits every workplace should adopt:
- Communication: Make Cybersecurity a Team Conversation
Cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue, it’s a business-wide priority. Whether you’re managing tenant data, donor records, or proprietary manufacturing processes, your team needs to be aware of the risks and how to avoid them.
How to start:
- Add a quick reminder in team meetings about spotting phishing emails.
- Share news of recent scams targeting your industry to keep staff alert.
When security becomes part of everyday conversation, it feels less like a chore and more like second nature.
- Compliance: Protect Trust, Not Just Avoid Fines
Whether it’s HIPAA, PCI, or GDPR, compliance is about more than regulations—it’s about trust. For manufacturers, this might mean safeguarding intellectual property and vendor data. For property managers, it’s protecting tenant information. And for nonprofits, it’s ensuring donor data is handled responsibly.
Even if you’re not in a highly regulated industry, your customers still expect you to safeguard their data. Falling short can damage your reputation just as much as it can hurt your bottom line. Make sure to:
- Review your policies regularly to ensure they match current regulations.
- Keep records of training and system updates.
- Make compliance a shared responsibility, not just an IT checkbox.
- Continuity: Be Ready for the Unexpected
If your systems went down tomorrow, how quickly could you recover? For manufacturers, downtime can halt production. For property managers, it can disrupt tenant services. And for nonprofits, it can delay critical outreach and fundraising.
What to do:
- Ensure backups run automatically and are tested regularly.
- Have a clear plan for responding to ransomware or data loss.
- Practice recovery steps before you need them.
Even a simple test, like restoring one critical file from backup, can prove whether your plan really works.
- Culture: Build a Security-First Mindset
At the end of the day, your people are your first line of defense. Building a culture of security means making good cyber habits part of everyday work. Here are some ways to make that happen:
- Encourage strong, unique passwords (or, even better, password managers).
- Require MFA (multifactor authentication) on all accounts that support it.
- Recognize employees who catch phishing attempts. This reinforces good habits and makes security a team win.
When security feels like a team effort, everyone gets better at it.
Security Is Everyone’s Job
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a reminder that protecting your organization isn’t just about software, it’s about people. By building strong habits around communication, compliance, continuity, and culture, you’re not just avoiding threats, you’re creating a workplace that takes security seriously every day.
Whether you’re overseeing a production line, managing properties, or running a nonprofit, these habits can help you stay resilient in the face of evolving cyber risks.
Ready to Put These Habits into Action?
Cybersecurity Awareness Month is the perfect time to assess your defenses and train your team to spot the threats that matter most. Don’t wait until an attack forces your hand.
Schedule a free discovery call today and let us help you build a cyber-smart culture tailored to your industry. Click here to get started.
