Cybersecurity is vital for any business. However, most individuals associate cybersecurity with big companies that have massive IT infrastructure. As such, cyber threats aren’t exclusive to big corporations. Small businesses that use any type of technology are equally susceptible to system infiltration, putting their client information, proprietary information, and other assets at stake.
If you operate a small business and haven’t yet implemented cybersecurity measures for your business, now is the perfect time.
How Cyber Attackers Threaten Small Companies
The individual responsible for stealing data from your organization is probably not a teenager in a hoodie and mask, typing vigorously in a dark room on a computer. It’s most likely someone you wouldn’t have suspected, who may have little technological knowledge- After all, a password is typically all that is needed to hack into your system.
As a small business owner, you face the following cyber threats:
- Advanced recurrent threats that entail a slow investigation procedure that probes and silently extracts data
- Malware or spyware that takes the form of an external program allowing a computer to be accessed remotely
- Password-based attacks that include using passwords that have been stolen or obtained in other ways to collect information or collect data
- Phishing which involves hackers sending valid-looking emails to your clients to con them into giving them their personal data
Cybersecurity Measures
To protect your business from the above cyber threats, implement the following protocols:
Enact Safe Password Practices
More than half of all cyber-attacks happened due to stolen, lost, or weak passwords. Many companies with password policies do not implement them. It is essential that all staff devices accessing the company system be password protected.
Some of the safe password policies include:
- Changing Passwords every 2-3 months
- Use passwords with lower and upper-case letters, symbols, and numbers
- Make passwords 8-12 characters long
- Not using the same password on several accounts
- Use two-factor authentication
Set Up a Firewall
A firewall is among the first lines of defense when your system is compromised. You should set up a firewall to serve as a shield between your system and cyber threats. Ensure you configure your firewall devices properly and ensure they have the latest firmware or software updates installed.
It is also essential that your staff working from home set up a firewall on their home networks. Consider giving them firewall support and software for home networks to facilitate compliance.
Regularly Back Up Your Data
Although preventing as many attacks as possible is crucial, it is still possible to be compromised irrespective of your cybersecurity measures. Therefore you should back up your electronic spreadsheets, word processing documents, financial files, human resource files, databases, and account payable/receivable files. You should store the backed-up data in the cloud.
Ensure your backups are kept in a separate area in case of flood or fire. To make sure you have the most updated back up, monitor your backup frequently to make sure it is working properly.
Educate Your Staff
Employees usually play many roles in a company. Therefore, it’s vital that every staff accessing your business’s system be educated and trained on your company’s cybersecurity policies and measures. Since policies are ever-changing as cyber attackers become more sophisticated, frequent updates on new protocols are essential.
To keep staff compliant, have each staff sign a document indicating that they have been advised of the measures and recognize that actions will be taken if they do not obey security policies in place.
Use Anti-malware Software
You may assume that your staff will never open phishing emails. However, more than a quarter of all employees open phishing emails. Since phishing attacks entail installing malware on a worker’s computer when they click the link, it is necessary you install anti-malware software on all the devices and systems.
Security is a moving goal. The cyber attackers get more advanced each day. To protect your system as much as possible, it is vital that all your employees make data security a main priority. Most importantly, stay updated on the newest prevention technology and the latest cyber-attacks trends. Your company depends on that.
