Associations can find themselves vulnerable to cyber-attacks, risking the security of their data and that of their members. With digital threats on the rise, it's crucial to protect your association from these dangers, and to adopt cyber-security measures.
Increasing cyber attacks: a growing challenge for your association
As potential victims of cybercriminals, associations need to be particularly vigilant when it comes to securing their IT systems. Indeed, deficiencies in digital security and a lower level of protection compared to larger structures expose them more to attacks. The data they collect and store - including that of members, users and volunteers - are attractive targets for cyberpirates.
Telecommuting imposed by the health crisis, together with increased reliance on online processes, has opened new doors for hackers. According to one study, attacks involving ransomware have risen alarmingly, with an increase of 255% in 2020 compared to the previous year.
Preventive cybersecurity measures: protecting your association's data
With this in mind, it is essential to adopt preventive measures:
- Choose strong passwords. Choose passwords of at least 12 characters that do not reveal any personally identifiable information. Use secret phrases and renew them frequently, especially if account management is delegated to volunteers.
- Set up dual authentication for all digital services you use. This applies to e-mail, social networking accounts and all other digital services.
- Maintain secure browsing. While monitoring the https protocol of your visited sites is a first step, EFF also suggests installing the "https everywhere" extension on your browser to ensure secure browsing.
- Be extremely careful with connected devices, which are often vulnerable to security breaches.
- Back up your data regularly, either locally or on online servers, so you can recover important information in the event of an attack.
We can also benefit from feedback from professionals in the field. Soundous Jeljoul, Digital Communications Specialist at Amnesty International France, and Arnaud Deschavanne, Cybersecurity Assessment Manager at Magellan Consulting, share their insights and recommendations.
Sources Usbek & Rica - Why the cloud is bringing cybersecurity into a new era; How to create a secure, easy-to-remember password | www.economie.gouv.fr; Generating a strong password | www.cnil.fr; HTTPS Everywhere | www.eff.org