Running a small business? You need to make sure that cybersecurity features high in your list of priorities. Each small business out there is prone to attack from cybercriminals, who will do what they can to extort you, steal your data or cause other problems within your business. With most operations being carried out online nowadays, protecting your business can prevent you from experiencing serious problems down the line. But where should you start and what should you do to manage your online security as best possible? Here are a few ideas that you should look into when it comes to managing cybersecurity within your company!
Use IT Support
The most important step that you should take when managing cyber security within your business is to make sure that you invest in managed IT support or managed IT services. This will put you in touch with professionals who can manage your IT systems and alert you to any issues that may arrive or come down the pipeline. You will be able to reach out to them in times of trouble. They can prevent cyber-attacks by monitoring your systems around the clock and implementing features that will maximise your cyber security. They can also carry out activities like penetration testing. If you want to go all out, you could potentially build an in-house IT team, but most small businesses find that agencies are much more cost effective.
Use a VPN
It’s a really good idea to implement a VPN within your business. This is particularly important for teams where staff may be working from home or working remotely. VPN stands for “Virtual Private Network” and is a network that your staff can connect to while they work, rather than using their networks at home or public networks while they’re out and about. This will ensure that your staff have a secure network to connect to and can prevent infiltration by cybercriminals. Make sure that your team definitely know that they need to log onto the VPN every time they work.
Train Your Staff
Hackers know that your staff members are one of the easiest routes into your business and its data. All humans are vulnerable to making mistakes and some members may be easily tricked by common hacking scams. It’s absolutely essential that you fully train your staff in cybersecurity. This will help to inform your team of common risks and methods used by cyber criminals, preventing them from falling prey to their issues. Common tactics to make them aware of include phishing and scam emails. Make sure that training is regular and ongoing. Generally, it’s best to have a professional from outside of your business to undertake this training.
Each of these steps should help to protect your business from cybercriminals from a number of angles. Implement them into your business’ operations and everything should run smoothly!
Image Credits: Sigmund
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