Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common, and small and medium-sized businesses tend to be more at risk. In fact, over 40% of small businesses experienced a cyberattack in 2020.
As a smaller company, you may not have robust data security measures in place or not have as many resources as a larger company to protect your data. Being proactive about protecting your business from cyberattacks is a must for companies both small and large.
Fortunately, you can protect your business from cybersecurity breaches by taking a few steps. Here are five simple ways to build a stronger defense against cyberattacks.
1. Safeguard Sensitive Information
If your business works with any sensitive information, whether it’s customer information, payment data, or even classified information, it’s crucial to put measures in place to protect it.
For example, employees that don’t need access to this information shouldn’t have access to it. In addition, all employee access to sensitive information should be tracked with date and time stamps along with the credentials used to access the files.
It’s also crucial to encrypt any sensitive data your business stores, utilizes, or transmits, which means even if a hacker got access to the data, they wouldn’t be able to read it.
2. Create a Response Plan
It’s safe to assume that your business will experience a cybersecurity breach at some point. Creating a response plan for when such a breach happens can accelerate your damage control actions and potentially reduce the amount of harm from the attack.
Employees and management should know what to do if a cyberattack happens. Have a plan for people or agencies you may need to contact. Ensure your data is regularly backed up so you have access to your most recent files should a breach happen.
3. Update Software When Needed
Software updates exist for a reason. They correct any issues or vulnerabilities with previous software versions that could jeopardize security. As soon as a software update or security patch comes out, install it.
It’s a good idea to proactively check for updates and ensure that the manufacturer supports all the technology you’re using. Installing and updating software that can help prevent a breach—such as firewalls—makes your business’ protection against cyberattacks that much stronger.
4. Invest in Employee Training
One of the biggest vulnerabilities when it comes to cybersecurity is human error. Cyberattacks can often be caused by employee negligence, such as opening a suspicious email attachment or by leaving passwords or sensitive business information in the open.
Training employees is a worthy investment that can go a long way towards preventing a cyberattack. Employees should know how to identify a phishing email, how to create a strong password, what to do if a breach happens, and how to keep sensitive information safe when accessing it.
Employees should also understand security best practices and company policy when accessing work materials away from the office.
5. Change Passwords Regularly
Weak passwords are a security vulnerability, as are passwords that haven’t been changed in a while. Create strong passwords that don’t contain any personal information. Ideally, passwords should be random and a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters.
It’s essential to update your passwords every few months to have even more protection against a cyberattack. Should you have a new device for your business, change the Admin password as soon as you get it. You should do this for all new devices.
How Proactive Is Your Business About Cyberattacks?
Making security an ingrained part of your daily operations doesn’t have to be complicated or expensive. However, taking steps towards better cybersecurity is always worth it. How proactive is your business about preventing cyberattacks? Contact neteffect technologies today to learn more about our cybersecurity solutions.
