A lack of cybersecurity in your small business can have a seriously damaging impact on you, your business, staff and your customers so it’s vital you educate yourself on keeping your business safe online and making sure you stay up to date with the latest technologies and methods of defence. Below are 5 of the best ways to protect your business online:
Stay Up to Date
Most businesses tend to use various software programs and operating systems. Whenever a security update has been released for any of these programs, make sure you and every member of your staff download it and install it properly. Often these updates have been developed as a response to new threats or growing vulnerabilities and will mention what bugs and security updates it will provide before you click the update button. This is one of your best and most relevant forms of defence against a cyber attack or theft.
A Secure Hosting Service
If you have an online shop or method of payment where your customers can purchase or pay for your services online, it’s crucial to ensure your website provider is PCI-compliant. This means the entire online checkout process is protected and payment of personal information can’t be stolen.
Set up Firewalls
A firewall is a network security mechanism that will monitor all incoming and outgoing traffic on your internal network. Make sure your firewall is installed on not just your servers but also any computers, laptops and mobile devices are used by your business and employees. Also, it’s crucial you install antivirus and anti-spyware software on all of your computers and again, make sure they are always kept up to date.
A Strong Wi-Fi Password
Hopefully, this one is pretty obvious but your business network should always be kept private and password-protected. An open wifi connection is more or less an invitation asking hackers to infiltrate your IT system. Avoid handing your password out and having it obviously written down anywhere around the office. Choose a strong password with a mixture of lower case letters, upper case letters and numbers.
Educate your Employees on Emails
Email is one of the most commonly used methods of communication in business and between employees because it’s efficient and easy to use. However this, unfortunately, makes it one of the most common sources of infections and viruses on computers. This is often done through a form of hacking named ‘phishing spam’. Essentially what happens is cybercriminals include harmful attachments in seemingly harmless emails they send out to the masses and as soon as you open the email you have created a pathway for ransomware to access your computer.
It’s important to educate your employees on the kind of emails they should and shouldn’t be opening. The more you see these harmful emails in your inbox, the more you learn to immediately recognise them but for the untrained eye, it can sometimes be difficult. Below are some of the main ways to avoid phishing spam:
- Employees should not subscribe to mailing lists using their business email address
- Do not open any links or attachments unless you’re expecting them
- Do not open emails from unrecognised addresses stating they have noticed suspicious activity
- Do not click on links for free products
When it comes to protecting your business, Allsafe Insurance Brokers know exactly how to help with a business insurance plan or cyber insurance that is perfect for your industry, budget and circumstances. We will guide you through each step of the process, ensuring each decision is being made in the best interests of your organisation. To learn more about our services, get in touch with us today!
