The importance of cybersecurity for nonprofits in 2021

Cybercrime is on the rise around the world and attacks occur in all industries and sectors. Unfortunately, threat actors do not differentiate between nonprofits and for-profit organizations. They also don't limit attacks to large entities, meaning that smaller nonprofits face the same risks as larger ones.

In fact, some security analysts think that small organizations could be at higher risk, as hackers assume that cybersecurity does not take priority. And historically speaking, nonprofits don't have the budget for cybersecurity, making them an ideal target.

The sector has suffered the consequences of cybercrime. In 2017, Save the Children was attacked twice and inadvertently sent $ 1 million to a fraudulent account in Japan.

Beyond financial matters, data breaches can deal a serious blow to an organization's reputation, put recipient data at risk, and result in liability if data compliance laws are not properly followed.

With these issues in mind, nonprofits must improve cybersecurity, particularly in the increasingly tense threat landscape of 2021.

Essential Cybersecurity Measures for Nonprofits

In the early days of the Internet, an antivirus might have been enough to protect users and computers, but today, with Internet of Things (IoT) -enabled devices and vast networks and systems that include physical and storage storage cloud, an antivirus program needs serious support.

1. Email scanner

As the name suggests, email scanners track incoming emails and look for suspicious-looking links, malware, viruses, and spam. The tool is essential for any organization as attacks often occur when a staff member engages with a fraudulent email, exactly what happened in one of the Save the Children breaches mentioned above.

Phishing is a form of social engineering cyberattack in which a hacker uses email to trick a staff member into granting him access to company systems. Often times, the fake email appears to come from another staff member or a senior manager. Like any organization, a non-profit organization is subject to phishing attempts.

2. Data and network encryption

Encrypting hard drives to prevent hackers with physical access to computers from collecting data is a good first step, but it is not enough. Nonprofits should also consider encrypting their networks and any data in transmission.

Downloading a VPN (virtual private network) to every device in the office is one way to do this, but nonprofits can also look for a VPN router that covers all the devices in an office. If you are not familiar with what is a VPN, is a security tool for devices such as phones, computers, and routers. The application keeps data safe by encrypting it and sending it over a private network.

3. Antimalware

Like antivirus, antimalware tools work to find and quarantine any threats on a device. However, unlike antivirus, these programs are more adapted to complex and sophisticated threats. An organization's antivirus can handle the Trojans and worms of yesteryear, but anti-malware can do the job and counter modern threats.

That is not to say that an organization should only have anti-malware, but rather that it should be used in conjunction with an antivirus.

4. Create a culture of safety

In addition to the software tools above, one of the best things a nonprofit can do to protect itself in 2021 is to create a culture of cybersecurity. Make sure everyone in the organization is aware of the potential risks and knows that security is a team effort - it's everyone's job, not just IT staff.

Risk education and staff training can go a long way toward ensuring a safe nonprofit, which means everyone can get back to work doing what they do best, helping others.