Cases of cyber-crimes have become rampant. Unlike in the old days where cyber-attacks were targeted at big companies, small companies run a larger risk in today’s business environment. Statistics indicate that 71% of cyber-attacks happen in businesses with less than 100 employees. Now, investing in cybersecurity protects your business, and inspires your customers’ trust that their personal data will not be compromised. It also promotes productivity, denies spyware, and prevents adware. Wondering how to go about cybersecurity in your business? In this article, we share some best practices that will protect your venture against cybercrimes.
Teach your employees about cybersecurity
Did you know that cyber attackers target your employees the most when planning a cyber-attack? While you might think that having an IT team handling cybersecurity issues is enough, it is not the case. Think about all those employees running payrolls, tax information, customer and employee data, and so forth. Training your employees on cybersecurity helps them to be aware of their role in protecting the company from cybersecurity threats.
How to educate employees on cybersecurity
- Add a mandatory cybersecurity training in onboarding.
- Avoid older training policies that create fear, uncertainty, and doubt.
- Routinely educate on top cybersecurity threats.
- Create a culture focused on cybersecurity.
Enforce safe password practices
Did you know that 63% of data breaches happen due to lost, stolen, or weak passwords? Sadly only a small percentage of businesses with password policies enforce them. Train your employees that passwords are not meant to last forever. Shorter and less complex passwords should be changed less frequently as compared to longer complex passwords. Ensure you practice safe passwords practices like having a password manager for efficient storing and management of passwords.
Protect your mobile devices in the workplace
As a small business, you probably have a BYOD device model in operation. It is not only cost-effective for you as the employer but also offers the freedom to employees. While that’s the case, it is not so rosy; mobile devices carry inherent risks that can compromise sensitive companies’ data. As a business, you must have a sound BYOD policy and invest in mobile device management. You are perhaps wondering what is mobile device management and how it can protect your business. Well, it is essentially software that manages mobile devices in the workplace. By investing in MDM, you can enjoy controlled device updates, easy remote management, increased network security, improved compliance, and reduced administration needs.
Backup your data
While you might have taken all the measures to prevent cyber-attacks from occurring, it is advisable to have a backup plan. For example, invest in cloud backup for your small business. You want to ensure that all financial files, spreadsheets, human resources files, and databases are stored safely. Ensure that these backups are stored in a different location in case of calamities or natural disasters.
An extra layer of security is good
Ever heard of multi-factor identification? It is an effective authentication method that seeks to add one (or both) of the other factors to the authentication process to ensure that only authorized people can log in. This means that something in addition to the password is required to gain access. Employing an MFA in addition to your strong passwords goes a long way in keeping cyber-attackers at bay. In essence, the adversary cannot gain access without the key, code, or another factor.
Invest in security products and tools
When running a business, specific tools and software should be given pre-eminence when it comes to cybersecurity. In essence, there are must-have security tools that businesses that care about cybersecurity cannot function without. A good example is top-grade Antivirus software; a program that protects your computer or devices against cyber-attacks. A firewall is another first line of defense in network security that monitors networks based on predetermined security rules. The tool decides whether to block or allow certain traffic. As a business, you can invest in internal firewalls to provide additional protection.
The other security tool is VPN- Virtual Private Network; a secure solution that allows users to send and receive data via the internet while maintaining their privacy and data confidentiality. A remote-access VPN allows you to log into the company network from anywhere.
Wrapping up
Cybercriminals get more advanced every day. As a business, investing in cybersecurity is more of a necessity rather than an option. You need to stay on top of the latest trends and invest in prevention technology to keep attackers at bay. Luckily some of the best practices, as discussed above, are quite cost-effective.
