60% of small businesses that are the victim of major cybersecurity breaches close their doors half a year down the line. Digital security isn’t a matter of spam emails and annoying computer viruses anymore.
It’s a matter of literal life or death for your company. This list of cybersecurity tips will bring you up to speed.
So don’t go anywhere.
Know What Makes a Good Password
Human error is the biggest problem factor in all things regarding data protection. And it all starts with a good password.
When creating your passwords, it’s important to abide by three rules:
- Never use the same password twice
- Know that “strong” passwords often aren’t enough
- Passwords should be changed frequently
If two or more of your passwords are the same, a breach in one place means a breach in another. And what some service providers deem a “strong” password often, in fact, isn’t.
Longer is always better than smarter. And two-factor authentication offers an extra layer of protection.
Backup Your Data Regularly
Data loss is expensive. It’s vital to backup your data in case of losses, breaches, and malicious threats like ransomware.
But don’t rely on a single external hard drive for your business security. Cloud backup services offer automated, regular data backup at affordable prices. And they take a lot of the hassle out of doing it yourself.
Erase Sensitive Data
In online security, anything that contains sensitive data should be encrypted. And on top of that, you need to erase sensitive data – including user data – at regular intervals.
In fact, it’s a legal requirement in the EU not to store user data unnecessarily. A data erasure provider like Certus will handle your needs and keep your business GDPR-compliant.
Create a Risk Management Plan
Even the best cybersecurity plan and software isn’t always enough. As important as data security is, it’s equally vital that you know what to do when things go wrong.
That’s where your risk management plan comes in.
The first step is keeping track of important information:
- Where you store your backups
- Who your cybersecurity provider is
- When to involve law enforcement in the event of a breach
Consider hiring a cybersecurity risk management firm to handle the requirements of your business. They’ll be your first port of call in the event of a crisis.
Train Your Staff
Protection is only as good as the weakest link. Your staff needs to take security as seriously as you do. To keep your small business protection up to scratch, make sure to train them on procedures – and all we’ve mentioned above.
Your employees need a set of rules and guidelines to follow. And if you’re being trained by cybersecurity professionals, you should involve them.
This means regular updates on risks. Nobody should be left in the dark.
Cybersecurity Tips for Peace of Mind
It’s easy to lose sleep over your business. And it’s easy to get lost in a sea of jargon and complicated terminology. This list of cybersecurity tips should give you a great jumping-off point to update your guidelines.
So make sure you’re doing everything you can to protect your business. You can’t afford to pass it up.
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