Cybersecurity Advice for Small Businesses from the NCSC

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is currently highlighting cybersecurity advice for small and medium-sized businesses. Recognizing that many SMBs do not have a budget for a dedicated IT security team, the campaign shares practical recommendations for keeping data secure and preventing unauthorized access. On its SMB security web page, the NCSC notes: “there are some simple steps you can take to ensure you have the basics in place.” Indeed! In fact, the first two recommended actions listed for SMBs are appropriately password-centric:

Action 1: Use a strong and different password for your email using 3 random words

Action 2: Turn on 2-Step Verification (2SV) for your email

The web page goes on to offer a number of resources for SMBs to stay ‘cyber aware’. One of them is a PDF, practical tips for protecting your organization online. Overall, the PDF is very good:

• Emphasizes the importance of creating different passwords for each account

• Encourages the use of strong passwords

• Recommends utilizing two-step verification

• Recommends keeping all devices up-to-date

• Encourages the backing up of data and key contacts

But, there’s one recommendation worth pausing over: that users should save passwords in their browser. Bitwarden advises individuals and organizations to look beyond their browser and instead prioritize stand-alone password managers. While any password manager is better than no password manager, the security built into third-party password managers is unparalleled. In some cases, browser-based password managers don’t use master passwords to encrypt all logins.

Further, the NCSC should consider recommending password managers directly on its web pages - versus requiring readers to download documents and comb through them. Password managers are a security gamechanger.

Overall Bitwarden Assessment: Good

• Calls out importance of strong passwords

• Cites need for 2FA/MFA to further support password security

• Overall security advice is up-to-date

• Could improve overall layout so password security advice is clear, digestible, and easy-to-find

Learn what advice other leading cybersecurity agencies offer, and how they compare, in The State of Password Security Report, released earlier this year.

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