You may think that your small business doesn’t make for a very enticing target in terms of a cyber attack, but you’re wrong. Small businesses are like a tasty morsel to hackers with ill intent, because they know that small businesses don’t always have the funds to properly secure their digital comings and goings.
The National Cyber Security Alliance put out a report stating that an average of 60 percent of small businesses cannot recover from the effects of a large-scale cyber invasion. The financial impact is often too large to overcome.
Do right by your small business, and invest in every angle of cyber security. Here are a few essential tips for small business owners that will help keep your operation’s crucial information safe from falling into the wrong hands.
Security is a company-wide endeavor
You can never go halfway when it comes to cyber security. Your business will only be secure once you employ safety measures on all of the computers in the office.
You have to educate your employees on safe digital behaviors, and make sure they all understand regular maintenance of the computers.
Stay away from email attachments (unless they are scanned for viruses) and random unprotected links. These can possibly open a gateway for malicious intruders.
Always set strong password protections
Educate yourself and everyone in the business about the importance of a strong password. Setting passwords like “God” or “Password” are old news, and they will open the digital doors of your business to an array of threats.
A strong password is variated, and it has nothing to do with the person creating it. Make a password that includes upper and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols to assure its security value.
Protect individual mobile devices
If your professionals use the assistance of mobile devices, those devices also need to be equipped with proper cyber security measures. Make certain that your professionals understand the importance of locking the device when it is not in use.
Also, teach professionals how to properly maintain their mobile devices. Regularly clear the cache on the device. Always lock it, and back up the sensitive information it holds regularly.
Regularly backup your business data
As was just mentioned, backing up your sensitive data regularly is an essential part of a solid cyber security plan. You never know when you might need to go back a few days to restore a device. Sometimes it’s the only way to rid your computer of a harmful virus or bug.
Always build a secure website
Safeguard your business and your clients by building a secure business website. If you integrate a payment portal, make sure you know what you’re doing. You don’t want to place your clients at risk of losing their financial information to a stranger.
