3 Ways Nonprofits Can Strengthen Their Cybersecurity in 2025

To stay protected, nonprofits must adopt zero-trust models, use artificial intelligence to detect vulnerabilities and run threat modeling.

Nonprofits are attractive targets for cybercrime because of the sensitive nature of data they manage. These organizations also have tight budgets and may lack a full-time cybersecurity chief on staff, which only increases their vulnerability to attacks. And with the average global cost of a data breach costing nearly $5 million, according to a 2024 report by IBM, there’s even more reason for IT leaders to take proactive action.

Here are three ways that nonprofits can strengthen their cybersecurity in 2025.

1. Adopt A Zero-Trust Model for Enhanced Security Verification

Cyberattacks occur so frequently that IT leaders must assume their environments may have already been breached. This defensive posture of cyber resilience is key.

A zero-trust model cultivates this further by requiring that all users and devices be authenticated and continuously validated via tools such as identity and access management and multifactor authentication: Never trust, always verify.

“With data spread across multiple services, devices, applications and people, it’s not enough to slap a password onto something or set up a firewall,” writes Remy Champion, a senior manager on Okta’s Tech for Good team. “Nonprofit organizations need stronger protection, and zero trust can help.”

Zero trust is not a single solution. It’s a cybersecurity architecture that takes time to build and mature. Teams can work with an expert tech partner to track progress toward zero-trust maturity.

“Successful integration of zero-trust strategies requires a cultural shift at every level of your organization,” write CDW experts John Candillo and David Lund. This starts with identity and access management but extends to data governance, backup and recovery, and securing complex cloud infrastructures.

“When done effectively, zero trust can help leaders make more strategic investments in security and more naturally achieve regulatory compliance,” CDW experts write in a separate company blog.

2. Bolster Threat Detection Checks With AI

With the dizzying volume and velocity of daily cyberthreats, it is humanly impossible for IT teams to monitor all potential risks. CISOs need superhuman capabilities, which they can find in artificial intelligence.

AI tools can help nonprofits stay ahead of evolving cyberthreats by analyzing vast volumes of data in real time, all with minimal human intervention.

“In contrast to the traditional threat detection approach, the AI-based approach can detect threats earlier in the attack cycle,” SentinelOne notes in a company blog post. “One of the most interesting features of AI threat detection is that it can automate the entire process of detecting threats, alerting security teams, and preventing additional threats.”

Teams can also train AI models to proactively remediate potential risks and scan for unusual behavior patterns. The ability of AI and machine learning to evolve with threats is especially valuable to IT leaders as bad actors modify their attack strategies.

3. Test Out Defense Strategies With Threat Modeling

Threat modeling allows IT leaders to reverse-engineer a solution to an attack. It helps teams identify what a hack might look like and create a full response plan with steps to remediate.

“It’s a lot like a fire drill, but it’s a disaster recovery drill,” Nick Suda, security solution specialist at CDW, told BizTech.

“Just as drills prepare people for emergencies, threat modeling prepares businesses for cyberthreats by asking teams to devise fast response plans and defensive strategies,” Suda writes. “It’s also a way to simulate real-time stress levels and intensity so that employees know what to expect during an attack.”

The exercise starts with identifying the most essential assets worth protecting, such as devices, data and personnel. Next, identify attack vectors, including entry points and attack methods. Finally, create hypothetical scenarios that test the system’s defenses and the organization’s response plan. With this information, IT leaders can develop a cybersecurity playbook.

“Threat modeling is not a one-time activity; it is a regular exercise,” Suda writes. “IT leaders should run these drills routinely to get familiar and note any areas that need improvement.”

Contact our team of experts to learn more about developing a comprehensive cybersecurity training program for your business.

If you are looking for an expert to help you find the best solutions for your business talk to GCInfotech about a free technology assessment

Published with consideration from BizTech SOURCE

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Mastering Outlook in Microsoft 365

Are you using Outlook in Microsoft 365 to its full potential? With so many powerful features, it’s easy to overlook tools that can make a big difference. This guide highlights Outlook’s key features that can boost your efficiency and keep your inbox organized.

Classic Outlook vs. new Outlook

Microsoft offers two versions of Outlook: classic Outlook and new Outlook. The former is the current version bundled with Microsoft 365, while the latter is intended to replace the built-in Windows Mail and Calendar apps.

Although the new Outlook is available for testing, it currently lacks some key business features. So for now, it’s best to stick with classic Outlook, which Microsoft will support until at least 2029

Key features to improve your Outlook experience in Microsoft 365

Take full advantage of the following Outlook features in Microsoft 365:

Customizing the ribbon toolbar

Outlook’s ribbon toolbar, which provides access to various features, comes in two styles: Simplified and Classic. The Simplified Ribbon, the default interface, offers a sleek design that highlights frequently used tools for a more streamlined experience. Meanwhile, the Classic Ribbon — familiar to long-time Outlook users — offers a complete view of all available options.

To switch between these views, click the downward-pointing caret (˅) in the bottom right corner of the Ribbon and select either Simplified Ribbon or Classic Ribbon. You can also customize the Ribbon by selecting File > Options > Customize Ribbon, where you can add or remove tabs and commands.

To hide the Ribbon for more screen space, press Ctrl + F1 or click the caret at the far right to toggle between different display modes.

Using the search bar beyond finding emails

Outlook’s search bar does more than just locate emails. It also helps you access Outlook functions quickly. This feature replaces the Tell Me function found in Outlook 2016 and 2019.

To use Outlook’s search bar, either click on the search box or press Alt + Q, then type a command such as “filter email” to filter messages by unread status, attachments, importance, and more. Compared to navigating through menus, using the search bar is a faster, more efficient way to access less common features. Plus, the search bar remembers your previous searches, making it easy to find your most-used tools.

Researching without leaving Outlook

Outlook allows you to perform web searches directly within the app, eliminating the need to switch between windows. Just highlight a word or phrase in any email, right-click, and select Search. Outlook will then use Bing to display definitions, Wikipedia entries, images, and other web results in a pane on the right. Take note that you need to enable Microsoft’s Intelligent Services to use this built-in search feature.

Enabling Focused Inbox

Struggling with email overload? Focused Inbox is here to help. Powered by artificial intelligence, this feature organizes your inbox by separating essential emails from less critical ones, letting you sift through the noise.

To turn on Focused Inbox, go to the View tab and click Show Focused Inbox. Outlook will create two tabs: Focused (for high-priority messages) and Other (for general emails). Train Focused Inbox by moving messages between tabs or setting rules for specific senders.

If Focused Inbox doesn’t suit your workflow, you can disable it anytime by selecting View > Show Focused Inbox.

Using the Archive folder for a cleaner inbox

Rather than deleting emails, try using the Archive feature to clear your inbox while keeping messages easily accessible. Archiving is perfect for emails you’ve already addressed but may need to reference later.

There are three ways to archive emails. After selecting the emails you want to archive, you can click Archive on the Home tab, press the Backspace key, or drag them into the Archive folder. You can retrieve archived emails anytime by browsing the Archive folder or using the Search function. If you’d like to move an email to another folder, just drag and drop it to your desired location.

Attaching files the smart way

Outlook simplifies file attachments by displaying your 12 most recently used files. Simply click the Attach icon and choose from the suggested list. You can choose to attach the file itself or include a link to it, which is especially useful for files stored in the cloud. If the file you want to attach isn’t in the recent list, you can browse your PC or web locations such as OneDrive and SharePoint.

With these Outlook features, you can organize your inbox, automate repetitive tasks, and improve your productivity. For more tips on getting the most out of Outlook, Microsoft 365, and other tech tools, turn to our IT experts.

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