How real are cyber threats?
As a small business owner, you might believe that cyberattacks are unlikely to affect your organization. However, due to their sometimes-lower resource levels and less advanced security procedures, small enterprises are more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Cybercriminals are aware of this weakness and frequently target small businesses to steal confidential data or financial information.
Six measures to protect your company
Thankfully, there are measures you can take to safeguard your small business online. The following are some helpful tips for small businesses regarding cybersecurity:
Use strong passwords
One of the easiest and most effective ways to protect your business from cyber threats is by using strong, unique passwords for all your accounts. Avoid using personal information or simple words in your passwords. Instead, consider using a password manager to generate and store strong passwords. It should include:
- Unique passwords for all accounts using passwords
- Minimum of 14 characters long
- Using upper-case and lower-case letters, numerals, and punctuation
- No dictionary words (for example: MyPassword)
- Change your passwords periodically (6-12 months)
- Use software policies to enforce complexity rules throughout your company
Use strong endpoint protection
Using effective endpoint protection software is crucial for safeguarding your company from malware and other online dangers. It should include:
- anti-virus
- anti-malware
- software firewall
- web and real-time shields
- identity protections
- access control
- proxy control
- heuristics
- content control
- DNS protection
A simple anti-virus is not enough anymore. To ensure the best security, install endpoint software on all your devices, keep it updated, and run periodic log reports.
Regularly update your software
Keep your software up to date, as security holes in older versions are a common entry point for cybercriminals. To avoid this, you must routinely update all your software, including operating systems, web browsers, and apps. However, don't use auto-installation of upgrades of software as there have been extensive examples of software development errors. The easy way to solve this is to factor in a pause (1-2 weeks) of the installation of upgrades. You do want to install the security updates on all software as soon as possible. One issue with this is the auto-installation doesn't know the difference. Turn it off and revert to manual mode. One of the things to be aware of is that almost all breaches have been due to missing or incorrect security software updates.
Enable two-factor authentication
Using two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra level of security to your account by requiring you to enter a code sent to your phone or email in addition to your password. Implementing 2FA makes it more difficult for cybercriminals to access your accounts, even if they manage to steal your password. 2FA tools are inexpensive and readily available
Back up your data
Regularly backing up your information is crucial in the event of a cyberattack or other disaster. Make sure to create backups of all critical data and store them in a secure location, such as an external hard drive or cloud storage service. Example of good backup strategy includes:
- Daily backup to a local storage
- Daily backup to cloud storage
- Periodic backups of backups (weekly, monthly, and annual backups that are not attached to your network)
- Unbreakable rule for backups is TEST YOUR BACKUP DAILY - make sure that the backups are working
Security awareness training
It is essential to train your employees monthly or quarterly to maintain their competency on:
- Latest hacker techniques and trends - check with CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency - DHS) they have free business hacking news available
- Types of hacks and how to defend against them
- What you should do every day to maintain safety
- AND test your employees' understanding level with benign examples of malware periodically
By following these best practices for cybersecurity in small businesses, you can protect your company from cyber threats and keep your sensitive data safe.
My perspective
Investing in solid cybersecurity measures may seem like an unnecessary expense, however the costs of a cyberattack can be much higher in terms of lost business, lost data, and damage to your reputation. Therefore, protect your business by taking the necessary precautions to protect it from cyber threats.
Ask your IT service provider if they have installed and actively manage each of these techniques. They have all proven effective and they are all inexpensive. It is just a matter of being proactive about creating the policies and procedures that your business needs.
"Too many of us are not living our dreams
because we are living our fears." -Les Brown
By Denis Wilson
Thanks for reading this post. I always take into mind that your time and attention are precious. And these posts need to be timely, to the point, and short. For more tips on thriving with small business technology, check out the other blog posts at DWPIA Blogs. You can also find me on LinkedIn, YouTube, and Facebook.
I am also a published author and speaker on cloud computing, work-from-anywhere, and cybersecurity. I work extensively with business and professional associations to provide small business technology education programs.
Contact me if you have any questions about the subject.
I'd be happy to spend 15 minutes discussing it with you.