5 SACCO System Cybersecurity Tips & Free Checklist-Download
Many SACCOs have suffered at the hands of cybercriminals hacking their SACCO system.
Affected SACCOs most of the time don't share the challenges with the fear of mass withdrawals from members.
As a SACCO executive or IT Manager, worry less because we have some basic guidelines and checklists to help you out.
Read more below to get the best tips to secure your SACCO and members’ savings.
- Ensure proper end-user training
Your employees need to be trained on the important and basic tips of cybersecurity measures. Considering the are the end-users, they need to practice safety measures.
Some of the important things to touch on includes;
- Phishing
- Password security
- Device security
- Physical device security
The SACCO employees need to know what potential cybersecurity breaches look like, how to protect confidential data, and the importance of having strong passwords.
- Have a documented policy on cybersecurity
As an established institution, it’s obvious that you must have a documented company policy to guide the whole team on their daily operations.
The same case applies to this.
It is a set of guidelines and strategies to help the SACCO avoid becoming a victim of any form of cyberattack.
The same should also include some of the guidelines to be followed in case of a breach.
This should apply from the board level to the junior staff members.
You can download the free cybersecurity checklist for SACCOs, to help you with what you should include in the policy document.
- Operating System, Anti-virus & Applications Update
Always ensure that all the software applications used by the SACCO staff are up to date.
For instance, your SACCO may still be using Windows XP, and because it’s still working for you, you won't see the need to update to newer versions.
If this is the case for you, then you are risking a lot.
Microsoft stopped supporting Window XP and no longer provides security support. Very soon Windows 7 will face the same.
Therefore, you should start using the latest versions for all your applications.
- Control Users' Access
Every user should have their own account in accessing the SACCO Management System.
The best way is by using their individual work email with a strong password. A combination of characters is still the best set of passwords to date.
Also, each user's rights should be restricted to their line of work to minimize data and system misuse.
- Data Backups
Make it a habit of backing up your data regularly.
It is important because you a breach can come at any moment. This also helps in the case of ransomware, whereby a hacker takes over your important data and asks for a ransom in exchange for your data.
Download the free checklist here
