If you own a business, you likely have some information, plans and data that you want to keep safe. Even relatively simple organizations can be severely damaged if their digital systems are accessed by unauthorized users. Hacking and cybersecurity are serious concerns in this digital age. Below are a few ways you can help ensure your business’s lasting digital security.
1) Get Proactive About Finding Vulnerabilities
Don’t wait for a problem to spring up before doing something about it. Try to find vulnerabilities and address them promptly. What would happen if your laptop was stolen? Would someone be able to easily turn it on? Would they be able to take out the hard drive and read the contents?
Knowing about these potential issues can help you get ahead of them. You could keep your most sensitive files off of local machines or encrypt your hard drives, for example.
2) Don’t Forget About the Cloud
The cloud can be your friend. There are plenty of resources that are more advanced than what most small businesses would be able to set up on their own. This can help to overcome the issue mentioned above about losing a business laptop.
However, the cloud isn’t completely secure. It can be helpful to add public cloud security to any setup you may have planned.
3) Take Passwords Seriously
Passwords are a failing point for many computer users. Let’s be honest, it is hard to remember dozens of passwords. However, using the same password repeatedly is fairly dangerous. Additionally, using a password like “12345” is almost as bad as not having one. Even the most primitive attempts at decrypting that password would get it in a short time.
It is important to take strong password rules seriously. Train your team on how to make and manage passwords that are both memorable and effective.
4) Know Where Your Data Is
You can’t expect to protect your data if you don’t know where it is. You likely have a number of different systems that you use for your business. For example, you may have a server for storing work, various laptops, an email server and some other systems. Understand each of the systems your business uses and where data is stored.
Additionally, get in the practice of containing data to appropriate places. For example, you don’t want to have all of your important, strategic plans just sitting on someone’s desktop.
5) Plan for People
The people in your business are your greatest vulnerability. That is true of every organization. The easiest way to gain access to any system is through the people that use it. Phishing is a form of hacking that exclusively relies on this idea. Rather than trying to gain access to a system directly, phishers try to trick users into voluntarily sharing their credentials.
Part of your plan should be to train people to spot possible issues. A little education can go a long way toward protecting your systems. Additionally, you should manage access so that one team member error won’t damage your whole business.
6) Remember Security on the Go
If you or any of your team members travel for business, remember security when you are out of the office. You may be alarmed by how many people trust public wi-fi to be secure. Or, if you trust public wi-fi, you may be alarmed by how unsecure it is. Tools like a virtual private network can help you protect your digital assets when you are on the go.
Again, training can help a lot in this situation. It is easier to lose a laptop on the road. So, being careful about what data is saved locally can be a huge benefit for travel security.
These tips will help you protect your business digitally. When you use all the tools at your disposal such as the cloud and VPNs, you will be ready to take on the world of cybersecurity.
