How We Improved Cyber Hygiene Across All Departments

Cyber attacks don’t knock – they zoom in unexpectedly.

I knew we were no better than our weakest link.

Here’s how I put into action an actionable, no-jargon cyber hygiene improvement plan in all departments.

1. Created Department-Wise Awareness Checklists

• Different teams pose different threats.
• So, instead of a one-size-fits-all policy, use customized checklists for Dev, writer, designer, and HR.
• Every checklist covered the top 5 behaviors that would lead to data leaks or breaches in their respective groups.

2. Rolled Out 2FA Across All Internal Tools

• Our emails, project tools, and HR portals, everything needs to have Two-Factor Authentication.
• It was a small setup process with a gigantic payoff.

3. Ran Two Mock Phishing Drills

• This was a wake-up call.
• Staff clicked on the suspicious link.
• The lesson learned? Fear loses to awareness every time.

4. Cleansed Unused SaaS Apps With Insecure Permissions

• Live SaaS tools are still connected to infrastructure, although most are unused, and still have access.
• Revoked outdated permissions, reviewed vendor access, and rolled up services.

5. Educated Staff on Password Managers & Secure Practices

•  Several staff members are using the same password across many apps.
•  Now they’re generating and storing secure, distinct passwords easily.

The Outcome?

• Fewer support requests
• Less accidental data disclosure
• Greater trust in the team to handle suspicious emails
• But most importantly, cybersecurity was no longer a policy; it was a team culture.

Your Turn:

Cyber hygiene doesn’t take a budget — it takes commitment.

Did you recently run a phishing test or train your team on 2FA?