Taking your business online comes with loads of benefits. However, you can’t forget to mention that going online can also increase the risk of scams and security threats. If you thought that cyber-attacks are a thing for big companies, you are wrong.
An article published by CNBC revealed that 43% of cyber-attacks target small businesses. Therefore, it’s critical to consider ways to secure your venture online regardless of your business’s size. Here, we shall continue to share methods you can use to safeguard your company against cyber-attacks.
#1. Create Strong Passwords
Passwords are essential as they help block unwanted parties from accessing your system. It’s, therefore, recommended that you create strong passwords making it hard for hackers to guess. Most people are used to easy-to-guess passwords created using the company name, year, or birth date. Doing so can put your company at risk of an attack as hackers are aware of this, and that’s the first loophole they use when trying to hack you.
A perfect password should have a combo of numbers, special symbols, and letters in lowercase and uppercase. The combination creates a strong password, hard to crack. Additionally, you should form a habit of changing your usernames and passwords after every 90 days. The change is because the longer the password remains, the higher the chances that it will be hacked.
#2. Get a VPN Server
Among the best ways to protect your company against online attacks is investing in a virtual private network (VPN). Like VPS, VPNs are useful when it comes to enhancing your business’s online activities. When finding a secure VPN to invest in, tech gurus at inVPN often insist that you should check for reviews before concluding.
A good VPN should keep you entirely private over the internet by connecting you through an encrypted virtual tunnel to the site you desire. It should as well allow you to access company data remotely. Additionally, with a VPN, you can bypass geo-restricted content without the fear of online attacks.
#3. Keep Your Software Updated
Hackers are ever on their toes looking for ways to gain entry into the company’s information. If you aren’t careful, you may fall victim to their acts and end up losing sensitive data or even money. One way to ensure that you stay ahead of their game is ensuring that all your software stays updated.
Old applications have loopholes, and hackers can exploit that to gain entry into the network. Therefore, you should form a habit of checking for software updates or the latest security patches. The updates should be made every week and applied to all the devices connected to the company.
#4. Limit Who Accesses Your Company’s Data and Information
As tech gurus will always tell you, the more the number of people with access to your company’s info, the more the chances of online attacks. As mentioned earlier, hackers tend to target your employees to gain entry into your system. Therefore, among the first precautions, you must take is to limit access to your valuable company data.
Employees should only gain access to the systems and specific info they need to do their jobs. The entry should not only be limited to your current employees but to experienced workers that you can trust too. It should as well deal with the employees who leave your work as well. If one leaves your company or takes a transfer, you should ensure that you clear all their passwords and accounts from all systems and take their company ID badges and entry keys.
#5. Use a Robust Anti-malware and Firewall Software
Currently, there are different types of malware attacks that every company should be aware of. Therefore, you must ensure that every device connected to the company has anti-malware software installed to keep away the threats.
The software used should be updated to deal with the latest malware threats as they keep advancing. While having this software installed can help catch and isolate the viruses when they strike, it’s crucial to prevent them from attacking your system in the first place. This is where a firewall comes in handy to keep you safer. Your firewall should as well stay updated to handle the latest online threats.
#6. Data Encryption and Backup
Over time, data encryption has been considered one of the safest ways to protect your data against a breach. You must, therefore, come up with a strategy that gives value to your data. With encryption, it means that even if your company’s data falls into the wrong hands, there is nothing to lose. When you encrypt, ensure that you back up all the sensitive data, such as private customer info, employee info, and any other sensitive data.
#7. Have a Cyber-security Insurance
As mentioned earlier, hackers continue to work tirelessly, looking for ways to access sensitive info from your system. This means that even cyber-cautious companies are at risk of an attack. The cost of data breaches is high, and the best way to mitigate this is by investing in cybersecurity insurance. When it comes to finding the right type of insurance for your company, it’s recommended that you involve a specialist’s help to help choose the right insurance that can deal with the risks and the financial impact of an event in case it occurs.
#8. Educate Your Staff on the Importance of Cyber Security
Training your employees on the importance of being cyber vigilant is the best way to protect your company against online attacks. Hackers tend to use them to gain entry into the system and steal data. Therefore, you should ensure that they are well-informed on everything that they should do to stay safe. Remember, cyber threats keep advancing. So, you must ensure that they stay updated on what’s happening around them. Among the things that your employees must know include;
- The actions to take in case of an attack
- How to handle business info both at home and in the office
- What emails to use for personal and business use
- What storage device should be inserted into the company’s computer
The internet has come to the rescue of many companies. Simultaneously, the advancement has brought with them online threats, and that every business should be cautious. Mentioned in this article are proven tactics you can implement to safeguard your company’s system against hackers. Read through the piece to find out which of the techniques you are yet to use.
