Owning your own business comes with many
responsibilities. One of the most frequently overlooked revolves around keeping
your most sensitive data safe. While new businesses tend to focus heavily on
making money, it’s absolutely essential to prepare your business for a cyber
attack due to its inevitability. There are more sophisticated hackers and other
cyber thieves out there than ever, which makes it even more important to ensure
that your business is ready for an attack. Here are things you should do to
protect against a cyber attack.
Educate Your Staff
Educating your staff about the threats that are
out there is essential. Often, when a security breach occurs within a company
that results in sensitive data being leaked, it’s due to human error from an
employee. Someone might not realize that an email is not official and may
innocently click on a link or open an attachment that results in a cyber attack
on your business’ most sensitive data. Hold a few meetings to train your
employees about the many dangers in cyberland. When your staff is educated,
they will know what to avoid and how to better respond in the event of a
would-be attack.
Make Regular Backups
As a business, it’s important that you have a
system in place that makes automatic backups of your important data and computer
systems. Using more than one source for making your backups is also wise. You
can have an external hard drive as well as the cloud to store those backups.
You should ensure that the backups are performed at least once per month or
even once a week to be extra secure. Cloud technology is so important these
days as you can access your data anytime you need it most.
Use Threat Response Software
Threat response software is something
you need to invest in for your business’ ultimate security against cyber
threats. You should always have a good antivirus program installed on all
devices used for business. On top of that, you need a reliable firewall and
anti-malware software to effectively detect cyber threats in real-time. This
software should also immediately respond to any threats coming in. This is one
area in which you should not skimp; don’t simply buy the cheapest software you
can find. Instead, you should opt for the best regardless of spending a few
extra dollars.
Keep All Software Updated
All of your software programs should be updated
on a regular basis as the updates come in. If you don’t update security patches
in a timely manner, it can result in your precious data becoming Cybercriminals.
Cyber criminals are always diligent in their attacks, so keeping your software
updated regularly can only benefit your business.
In addition to software, you should also keep all
devices being used for business updated as well. That means you should update everything from web browsers to
packages like Microsoft Office to the device’s operating system.
Secure Your Wi-Fi
Never use open Wi-Fi for your business. By
securing it with a password and even hiding your network name, you can ensure
that it is safe from the prying eyes of cybercriminals. You may also want to
set up your Wi-Fi network’s password to change every three months or even every
month.
Use a VPN
Using a virtual private network (VPN) for all
devices accessing your company’s data is also wise. It helps to keep your
network safe by masking the true IP address and essentially makes your online
activity invisible. It’s especially important to require your employees who
work remotely to use a VPN even if they aren’t working in a coffee shop with an
unsecured Wi-Fi network.
These tips can help you to ensure that your
business is ready for a cyber attack. You will be better prepared to keep your
most sensitive, important data secure.
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