7 Tips to Improving Web Security for Small Businesses
You’ve got your new company up and running but you failed to account for one thing. Data breaches. Not even two months in and you already have hackers at your virtual doorstep.
This is a horrible reality for many businesses. As technology advances, it becomes impossible not to use computers in some fashion. Even something as simple as a grocery store register can fall victim to a dedicated hacker.
The secret to fixing this problem is stopping it from happening in the first place. Improving web security in your business is a huge step forward. Check out this guide to learn how you can find holes in your system and plug them up.
1. Train Your Employees and Hold Them Accountable
You can have the most intricate security system in the world but it won’t do you much good if Jan from accounting leaves her computer password out in the open for everyone to see it. Cybersecurity starts with the employees. Make a list of network rules and principles for every employee to follow.
These principles should highlight password security rules as well as general internet usage dos and don’ts. You should also include a section that states what will happen if anyone breaks the policy and causes a security breach.
Hold a meeting to talk about these security policies and train each of your employees. If after the meeting, a worker does something they shouldn’t hold them accountable for their actions and actually use the disciplinary measures you put in place. If you don’t, nobody will take the rules seriously.
2. Keep the Computers Up to Date and Clean
Computers and web browsers are always updating to combat the latest security holes that hackers can take advantage of. So, when your computer prompts you to update it, don’t put it off. The same goes for your web browser.
It helps to set up your virus software to run a check after every single update as well. Make sure that you have a firewall up and active on each of your computers too.
The firewall is a device’s first line of defense against common cyber threats and it stops someone from hacking into your private network to get their hands on your data. Since you’ll be transmitting confidential data back and forth to your employees, make sure all your remote workers have their firewalls up as well.
3. Make Backup Copies of Everything
So, one of your work computers becomes infected with a virus and you have to wipe the machine. These things happen even if you think you’re being careful.
It’s no big deal unless you don’t have backup copies of your work. That’s years upon years of hard work that you can’t get back. Always set up your computers to back up your data automatically.
If not automatically, you should at least perform a backup once a week or so. Store everything in either an off-site device or send it to the cloud.
4. Limit Employee Access
None of your employees should have full access to every part of your computer system. They only need data and software that’s specific to their jobs. They should get permission from you before they download any sort of software to their work computers as well.
It’s easy for someone to grab someone’s work laptop and get information from it. So, if your workplace uses laptops rather than computers, be sure that they are locked away in a secure location when they aren’t being used.
Ask that every employee have their own user accounts and put certain password rules into place.
Remember that not everyone needs admin access. This is something that should only be given to the folks in IT. Attach more secure passwords and data encryption over your confidential files.
5. Use a Secure Wi-Fi Network
It’s fine to have your own private wi-fi network but you’ll need to take measures to keep it secure, hidden from view, and encrypted. All you have to do to hide your network is to set up your router to where it doesn’t broadcast the name of your network to the entire world.
As an added precaution, your network needs to be password protected. It’s less likely that someone can hack in this way.
6. Practice Proper Password Management
Again, every single one of your workers should be using strong passwords to log into the system. You should also make it a requirement for them to change their passwords every 90 days.
7. Hire Someone to Hack You
If you don’t have the proper experience it can be a little hard for you to find vulnerabilities in your system. Until it’s too late and someone has hacked in. That’s why you should hire a digital security team to perform a comprehensive risk assessment.
They’ll attempt to hack into your system and find any holes that you’ve left wide open. They can also give you advice on how to close them so you can better secure your business information and protect yourself and your employees.
Improving Web Security and Avoiding a Breach
A data breach can be devastating for a new company. Some businesses never bounce back from having their information stolen. Don’t let this be you.
Improving web security is the most important thing you can do as a business owner. Hire someone to find the holes in your system so you can patch them, tell your employees what they can do to keep your information safe, and always practice good password management.
Keeping your security up to date isn’t the part of running a business. Check out our blog daily for more articles like this one.
