The Right And The Best Cybersecurity Strategies For Small/Medium Businesses
In general, people tend to think that only big businesses and government organizations are hackers’ targets. While this is partially true, it is not always so. The truth is that hackers are often great opportunists. They are definitely interested in valuable targets. But, they also aim to pull their catapult to strike that low-hanging fruit that is easy prey for them.
Small businesses are considered to be the best of both worlds. These businesses have access to data and money. Hence, they are often considered lucrative targets by hackers. Also, the fact that they often have a lower defense system makes them easy prey.
But, we have good news for you! Even the most rudimentary cybersecurity strategies can work well and can deter hackers and dare them to enter your network. When cybercriminals encounter an obstacle, they prefer to move away from it and go after an easy target than trying to break these obstacles.
But, wait! It’s not that simple! Hackers keep changing tactics, and that can throw you off your guard! If you wish to stay one step ahead of them, you need to keep your cybersecurity tactics updated. Let’s dive straight into the best cybersecurity tactics you can adopt to stay updated and stay secure.
Firewalls – Your Trusted Barrier
The FCC ( Federal Communications Commission) recommends every small/medium business owner set up a firewall as a barrier of protection. It acts as a wall of protection between cybercriminals and your data. In addition to the external firewall, you can add internal firewalls for additional security. All the devices in the network, be it personal or company-owned, are also potential targets for cyber attacks.
Firewalls help control and monitor network traffic and act as a barrier between the outside world and the internal network. Wifi networks are often considered as a ripe target. Hence, always ensure that you protect it with a secure router kept in a safe location. It should be secured with a strong password too.
Passwords- Your Safety Armour
It’s no hidden fact that employees absolutely detest changing passwords regularly. But, reports prove that more than 63 percent of data breaches happen due to weak, stolen, or lost passwords. The Ponemon Institute Report states that around 65 percent of SMBs do not enforce password policies properly.
You need to understand that passwords are absolutely necessary and it has to be changed regularly. And, the password should be made strong by using a combination of special characters, uppercase, and lowercase letters and numbers. Draft a password policy and ensure that all your employees are aware of it and follow it.
Stay Updated To Stay Secure
We often underestimate the power of simple steps taken to improve the security of our business. And, the top ignored fact is that updates are the best strategy you can use against cybercriminals. Keep your technological tools upgraded and updated always. The software vendors, programmers, and developers are always in search of new threats. When they find one, they release security patches that mitigate the potential vulnerability. To take advantage of this, you need to ensure that your digital assets are upgraded regularly.
Regular Data Backups Can Be Your Saviour
Even if you take all the necessary precautions to prevent a cyberattack, there are still chances the hackers find a way to break it all. This is exactly why small businesses should always keep a data backup in place. Be it the human resources files, financial records, spreadsheets, or processing documents, ensure that it is all backed up and secure. Also, conduct regular audits to ensure that you have the latest data backups in hand.
Trained Employees Are Your Biggest Asset
Employees are the greatest security risks and the biggest cause of data breaches in any small business. They can indulge in risky behaviors that can act as bait for cyberattacks. All this happens because the security awareness field is still in a very immature state. Businesses often see cybersecurity as just an IT issue, and this is a very dangerous misconception.
So, you need to ensure that this misconception is completely removed from the minds of all your employees. To do that, your employees will have to participate in a security awareness program conducted by a trained specialist. Industry specialists can help detect your company’s security-related pain points and address them by training your employees. This will help them to be aware of the possible cyberattacks they might face and act accordingly.
A Closing Note
Corporate data is getting more and more vulnerable to attacks. It is now time to take action before it is too late. Adopting the best cybersecurity practices is not limited to adopting the latest technology alone. The cybersecurity landscape is changing rapidly, and criminals are getting advanced even faster. The assistance of a security professional is what you need the most. Take the steps today to stop the security woes tomorrow!
