As we increasingly rely on technology, cyber attacks are becoming a real threat to organizations of all sizes. From large corporations to small businesses, no one is immune from the costly repercussions that can follow a successful hack. Small business owners may believe they don’t need cybersecurity measures in place since their company isn’t big enough or funds aren’t available. Accenture’s Cost of Cybercrime Study shows that 43% of all cyberattacks target small businesses, but only 14% are prepared to defend themselves. Many hackers turn their eye toward SMBs due to weaker security systems. Don’t underestimate the risk and put your business at stake – protect yourself now before it’s too late.
7 Things Small Businesses Need to Know About Cybersecurity
The digital age has brought forth a plethora of opportunities but also comes with its risks in the form of cyber breaches. To help businesses proactively protect themselves from attacks while minimizing potential damage, six security professionals pooled their expertise and provided helpful advice to strengthen the company’s cybersecurity posture – not just passwords alone!
1. You can become a target
Entrepreneurs, startups, and small businesses may feel like tiny minnows when compared to the giant whales of Fortune 500 companies. But their smaller size doesn’t mean they’re safe from cyber attacks – in fact, it usually means just the opposite! Every employee or office location could be an entry point for a hacker looking to take what’s valuable; especially if security audits are neglected, resources aren’t invested into protection measures, and insurance coverages are overlooked. The message is clear: don’t underestimate your importance as a target – hackers see you as easy pickings!
2. Don’t store redundant data
Protect your business from hackers – and hefty FTC penalties! By exercising caution with how much customer data you collect, and only storing it as long as necessary, you limit the risk of a successful cyber attack. Cut out any extraneous information gathering to keep hackers at bay while ensuring future compliance with federal regulations.
3. Start using a VPN
One of the simplest and most affordable data protection tools is VPN for business. Bypassing your traffic through VPN servers, your real location, and your IP addresses are hard to figure out. This improves data privacy, as well as protects against DDOS attacks, and encrypts all data that passes between the user and the server. It’s important to know how to unblock websites. VeePN offers access to over 2,500 servers worldwide and uses 256-bit encryption, kill switch technology, and other technological advances to protect you, your employees, and your business as a whole.
4. Educate your employees
The success of your business rides on the shoulders of its employees – not just in terms of production but also security. Investing time and resources into training staff to understand the importance, of procedures, and signs when it comes to cybersecurity can help prevent costly breaches caused by human error. Equip yourself with policies that are clear as day so everyone knows what is expected from them when they access data or use company-issued devices; this will reduce risk greatly!
5. Highlight the most important assets
Building a successful business requires strong security, but this can be overwhelming for SMB owners and startup founders who don’t consider cybersecurity their strength. Identifying the most essential data elements of your organization – what could be referred to as its ‘crown jewels’ – is the first step in protecting them. Once you’ve identified these major assets such as proprietary IP or customer information, assess how they are stored within your company and create an appropriate shield around them. You may already have many key components so leaning into existing embedded solutions will help get started quickly! One way to improve security is to limit who has access to sensitive data and then educate them on cyber security measures. You’d be surprised how many people take cyber threats lightly. Here is the original source for VPN reviews that you can see for yourself. The fewer people who have access to key data, the easier it will be to raise their level of cybersecurity.
6. The biggest risk is the human factor
As the world adjusts to a new way of working, companies have identified their end-point users (their employees) as major cybersecurity risks. Hackers can easily exploit entry points in employee IoT devices and unsecured home networks. But there is some hope – people can also be invaluable assets when it comes to protecting businesses from cyber threats. Worth identifying these weak spots while implementing extra security measures such as multi-factor authentication, regular malware scans, and nightly data backups for maximum protection against phishing attacks commonly used by hackers
7. Don’t ignore physical security
On-premise security isn’t just about digital networks anymore; in the healthcare industry alone, 68% of data breaches are a result of physical theft or loss of devices. As more and more workers move between the home office and workplace or even just a hotel for the day it’s essential to create secure storage solutions that allow people to lock up their personal items safely. This helps build “a sense of belonging” as well as protect confidential material from getting into the wrong hands – it’s more important now than ever!
Conclusion
Small businesses need to stay informed and knowledgeable about cybersecurity, especially as threats continue to increase. To ensure that they are protecting their business data and assets, small business owners must take proactive steps to maintain the security of their networks. Understanding what the potential risks are and proactively addressing them by investing in secure systems, training employees on security policies, creating detailed backup strategies, and monitoring systems can help keep your company safe. By positioning yourself ahead of the game with these seven tips, you will limit any potential losses associated with a cybersecurity attack or breach. Keeping up-to-date with the latest developments in cybersecurity can ensure that your small business is well protected throughout its whole life cycle.