In this article, we will discuss Top Cyber Security Tips All Businesses Need to Know.
Every year, the threat of cyber criminals looms larger over small businesses. No business, regardless of its size or industry, is immune to the digital menace. The scale of the problem is staggering- in 2020 alone, over 700,000 attacks targeted businesses, resulting in a staggering $2.8 billion in damages. The Cyber Security Breaches Council’s findings are equally alarming, with over half of the businesses surveyed actively identifying cyber security risks in the previous 12 months.
The statistics are not just numbers; they represent the potential damage your company could sustain if its defenses are breached. From the loss of customer trust to the financial penalties for data negligence, the fallout from a successful cyber attack can be catastrophic, jeopardizing everything you’ve worked hard to build.
With this in mind, let’s examine some of the best ways to boost cyber security within your small business.
Create A Cyber Action Plan
The National Security Cyber Centre in the UK offers a resource for small businesses to create an action plan. It’s essentially a short quiz to learn more about your business, and based on the results, they will create a tailored action plan to help you improve your cybersecurity.
For US businesses, the FCC offers the Small Biz Cyber Planner 2.0, which offers tips and tricks on boosting defenses to keep your business and your customers safe.
Update Software
Outdated software or software that isn’t updated regularly provides easy access for hackers. The reason is that updates offer fixes to vulnerabilities as well as added features and upgrades. If you are holding off on updating your software or other software that’s obsolete or about to be rendered obsolete and the developer isn’t going to update it in the future, you need to remedy this quickly. For example, if you are using Windows 10, you need to move over to Windows 11 as soon as you can. You can find windows 10 end of support assistance to help you move over seamlessly, but delaying this move and putting off essential updates can leave you open to threats, and you will have the right level of security you need.
Staff Training
Even if it’s just yourself as a one-person operation, you need training on the best practices on the most common threats and how to spot anything that could harm your business. Threats come in many different forms and via different communication channels, such as emails or texts, weak passwords, fake websites, and more. The more you and your team know about the different threats and how to do them, the easier it will be to avoid falling victim to them. Also, bushing up on best digital security practices, such as changing passwords regularly and not using company systems for personal use and vice versa, are all top tips you need to reinforce in your company.
Have Backs Ups
Backups are important for any business for multiple reasons; however, in relation to cyber security, backups that are kept separate and offline, preferably in a different location, are your key to survival if the worst does happen. Online data storage tools can be helpful here, as you can use hard drives, too. But regularly backing your data up and storing it safely off-site is something you need to be doing as standard at all times, not just once.
Get Help
Getting expert advice and assistance from cyber security experts can go a long way toward bolstering your defenses. You can use their services ongoing as a SaaS package, get one-off advice and support, or use them on an ad hoc basis—it’s entirely up to you. But getting input from those who are experts in the digital security space, know what they’re doing, and can provide valuable and realistic help and solutions is paramount.
Because even with the best will in the world, if you are not a cyber security expert, you are likely won’t even be scratching the surface of what type of threats you might be facing or even the complexity of protecting your business.
Regular Risk Assessments
Threats change and evolve constantly. As technology advances and becomes more complex and capable of completing more tasks, so too do cybercriminals. They’re not stupid; they know exactly what they’re doing. If you are not on top of identifying risks, then they will be, and they’ll be exploiting them before you even know what’s happening.
Your risk assessments need to determine where data is held, who has access to it, and how frequently. It needs to understand how the data is stored, what protocols you have in place for protection if a threat is successful, and what happens if these protocols are not adhered to. You need to know the risk assessment of all possible incidents, be it cyber threats, natural disasters, fire employee threats, etc., so you can come up with a plan to reduce or mitigate the risk and create an effective strategy.
Then, you need to review and change this information periodically or when new technology or employees are introduced to the company to ensure adherence at all times.
Use Encryption
Depending on the type of data you hold, you might find that using encryption programs can be extremely beneficial. Encryption tools alter information on devices, making it unreadable. The best part is that it’s designed for the “worst case scenario,” meaning if you have it in place and use it correctly, you have an extra layer of protection if the worst happens.
Because even if the data is stolen, the hacker won’t have the encryption key, rendering the information they obtain useless. And in a world where risks are ever present, this extra defense strategy can make all the difference.
There are indeed many ways you can protect your business from cyber crime, just as there are many ways you can fall victim to online and digital threats against your business. These tips can help protect you, your business, and all of your employees and customers too.
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Haider Khalid
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Great article—really appreciated how clearly you broke down each cyber security tip. The practical advice on backups and regular risk assessments was especially useful. Quick question: What would you recommend as the first priority for a small business just starting out with limited resources?