5 Fundamental Cybersecurity Tips for Small Businesses
When you own, operate or manage a small business, you are, without a doubt, juggling a lot of responsibilities. It's easy to overlook the importance of the unseen, and cybersecurity is a common area that small businesses fail to stay on top of or let fall by the wayside. Being proactive in online security is something that companies of any size should take seriously, as it is critical for protecting the sensitive information of your organization, its employees and customers. Let's take a look at some fundamental tips for keeping your business secure and protected from online threats.
Read: How to Recognize and Avoid Phishing Scams
Fundamental Cybersecurity Tips:
- Keep Software Updated: all software, operating systems, and applications should be kept up to date. Updates often fix any identified security issues.
- Use Strong Passwords: say goodbye to Welcome123, and ensure all personnel uses strong passwords. Passwords should be complex, along with two-factor authentication.
- Firewalls and Antivirus: use reputable antivirus to identify potential threats and setup firewall protection to monitor network traffic.
- Educate Employees: you can implement all of these cybersecurity best practices, but unless all employees are informed and aware of safety measures that must be followed, your business is at risk. Train employees on best practices, such as creating strong passwords, recognizing phishing attempts, and being cautious with email attachments and links. Be sure to have processes and procedures documented so that it is easier for management to implement and employees to follow.
- Backup Important Data: backup business data on a regular basis to cloud storage, an external hard drive or an off-site location. This will allow you to recover any lost data in a cyber attack.
Read: Small Businesses Are Ransomware Targets
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Bonus Tip: Have a Plan: Any business, regardless of size, should have a cybersecurity incident response plan. This formal document outlines the steps and procedures your company should take in the event of an online attack. The purpose of the incident response plan is to have a clear understanding of actions that need to follow in order to minimize the incident's impact, quickly restore operations and prevent similar situations from happening in the future.
Cybersecurity is crucial for small businesses to stay secure. Keeping your business safeguarded from online threats and attacks is an ongoing process. It is important to stay informed, review security procedures regularly, and update as needed to adapt to new threats. Does your organization need help identifying and implementing improved security measures? If so, Premier IT can help! Contact us today or request a network audit to identify gaps, areas for improvement and get a plan for the future.
Premier IT is a dedicated IT support team that manages all your technology needs. We pay attention to the details so you can focus on what you do best. We provide technical consulting, hosted infrastructure, computer & network support, security, Microsoft support, repairs, network monitoring and more. If your small business needs reliable technical support, contact our team of experienced technicians and engineers.