For the majority of small business owners their companies are their livelihood, and the thought of the enterprise they’ve worked so hard to build being put at risk doesn’t bear thinking about. However, business safety is something all SMEs should be thinking about, because it’s vital to be well prepared and protect yours business against outside threats.
Making sure that your business is protected against physical threats as well as digital security risks will give you peace of mind and means that everyone within the company can focus on doing their jobs. Experts at Syntax IT Support suggest six ways to make your business a safer place.
- Know what you’re dealing with
When you’re responsible for a whole business, you have to be aware of a range of different threats and prepare for each of these. Threats to business can take a number of different forms, including remote attacks on IT systems, unauthorised access to devices and theft of business assets. You’ll need to think about all of these and more, and make a point of identifying any vulnerabilities within your business before someone else is able to exploit them.
- Make a security plan
A well thought out security plan is something that businesses of all sizes should put together, not only large companies. If a thorough security risk assessment and plan isn’t something you feel confident completing in-house, seek outside help from a security professional. The right expert will be able to talk you through any potential threats and help you come up with an exhaustive plan to make your security watertight.
- Protect physical devices
It’s vital that all business data be kept secure, which means protecting the physical devices this data is stored upon. This is especially important if your business has a Bring Your Own Device policy, as personal laptops and smartphones are at greater risk of falling into the wrong hands.
Ensure that all employees follow a password policy to keep their devices protected and look to encryption to prevent any data leaks. You should also restrict access to IT equipment, systems and information to keep it secure. Divide your data into categories and make sure sensitive information can be accessed only by authorised employees who have reason to access it, thereby minimising risk. It may also be a good idea to restrict the use of removable media such as USB devices.
- Protect your premises
Remember, you’ll also need to consider your offline security and take measures to protect your premises against theft and damages. Install an alarm system and security cameras to keep your company’s buildings and all systems within them safe.
- Fully train employees
It’s commonly stated for a reason – people are often the weakest link when it comes to cyber security. As well as creating a password policy, you should also ensure that all staff are fully trained in online security and know how to avoid threats such as hacking, phishing and malware. Teach employees how to properly encrypt data and transfer information securely, and ensure that everyone within the company is committed to online safety.
- Invest in the right software
Being proactive about security also means investing in the right tools to help keep your business safe. Do your research into the best security solutions and software to protect your IT systems and information and ensure that these are updated regularly and performing as expected. If you’re not sure where to start, ask a security expert for advice on solutions tailored to your business.
