There’s a common misconception that only large corporations tend to be targeted by hackers. However, the opposite is true. It’s usually small businesses that are targeted by cybercriminals as they tend to be more vulnerable. Small companies lack the resources of larger corporations, and often have a false sense of security — pun intended.
Implementing best practices for cybersecurity doesn’t require a significant investment of time or money. In both cases, the cost is well worth it.
Here are seven cybersecurity tips to protect your small business.
1. Schedule Regular Data Backups
Sometimes the issue that negatively impacts small businesses the most isn’t an attack, but rather a data loss event. These events are often caused by human error. Someone clicks the wrong button, and critical data disappears into cyberspace.
A data loss event can have devastating consequences for a small business, causing many to go under within months of the occurrence. Fortunately, this issue is easily avoidable with the right tools and protocols.
Look for a service that provides cloud backup for small businesses. With this tool in place, you can mitigate data loss events and get back on track with the click of a button. Rather than losing years of data to cyberspace, you can revert to your system as it was a day or week previous to the event.
2. Use a Firewall
A firewall is another rudimentary form of protection that makes a significant impact. Like burglars and other wrongdoers, many hackers and cybercriminals look for crimes of opportunity. They might send out a few tests to see which businesses have the baseline cybersecurity implementations (like a firewall) in place, then attack those who are lacking them.
A firewall is a simple monitoring program that observes data that’s entering and exiting the network, blocking things that seem suspicious. It’s a simple, affordable security piece that small businesses can’t afford not to have.
3. Train Your People
The most considerable cybersecurity risk isn’t hackers or criminals looking to steal or fracture data – it’s your employees. Many of the most significant breaches and data loss events in history were caused by employee error. In one survey, 47% of business leaders indicated that an employee caused their cybersecurity issue.
While many companies have policies in place, that’s as far as they go. The document someone signs on their first day of work is all the information shared about safe computing in the workplace.
Take a proactive approach to employee education by scheduling regular updates and information sessions regarding best practices. All it takes is one click of a suspicious link for things to fall apart.
4. Use a Private Wi-Fi Account
Many businesses offer free Wi-Fi as a perk for guests, customers, and employees. While this is a nice offering, it’s essential to have a separate, secure Wi-Fi account for transactions and data transfers. This simple separation will dramatically reduce the risk of a data breach or loss event.
5. Implement Anti-Malware Programs
Never underestimate the value of a simple anti-malware program. Like a firewall, these systems can detect and eliminate malware to protect your systems.
Consider your firewall as the first line of defense. Employee education comes in at a close second. Anti-malware programs detect the well-hidden trojans and worms that can devastate your systems. So, if something damaging gets past the firewall and your employee accidentally opens a bad link, there’s still another line of defense.
6. Create Access Limitations
Creating access limitations is another form of cybersecurity that also adds a layer of audit-proof financial protection. Put a system in place that allows you to control who can access what on your drives. For example, your salespeople won’t need access to accounting data. The person who invoices your clients won’t need to access the information required to print checks on a deeper level.
7. Use Real-Time Monitoring
Finally, consider implementing real-time monitoring by outsourcing to an IT service. With the right tools and people in place, you can catch and correct a problem before it causes a significant disruption to your business.
