Small businesses often lack financial resources to defend against cyberthreats, but you don’t need a large IT budget. Simple, cost-effective habits can help safeguard your company’s data, financial assets and reputation. Here are 10 practical ways to enhance cybersecurity without investing in expensive security-related infrastructure. In fact, many of these tips only require time to implement.
1. Know who has data access. Conduct quarterly checks on authorizations and remove users who no longer need access to certain files. Also, establish a process to immediately revoke logins for employees, contractors and partners when their business justification for access is complete.
2. Limit USB drive usage. Ensure employees know to never connect unknown USB drives to their laptops or desktops. If they need to share files, recommend using cloud-based services instead because these services usually include security scans.
3. Lock unattended devices. All mobile devices, laptops, desktops and point-of-sale equipment should be locked when unattended or not in use. Almost every software package and operating system will include this functionality as a core component.
4. Set up a guest Wi-Fi network. To avoid direct access to your main business Wi-Fi and reduce the risk of it being compromised, create a separate guest network for visitors. This reduces the likelihood that an infected device will enter your IT environment.
5. Use “burner” emails for signups. Create a separate email for newsletter signups and other services. If your signup email gets compromised and starts receiving spam, your main business email remains protected.
6. Employ strong passwords. Train employees to use complex and unique passwords or have a password manager generate and store them. As an added safeguard, consider mandating periodic password updates.
7. Require employees to use two-step verification. When employees use two-step verification, also known as multi-factor authentication, they must enter a code sent to their phone or email. This adds an extra layer of protection, and in most cases, it’s free.
8. Back up important files. Automate data backups daily and store that data outside your primary system, such as on a secondary cloud storage service you don’t usually use.
9. Train employees to spot scams. Educate employees to recognize the signs of email-based fraud and to pause before clicking on links or opening attachments. You might even offer rewards for workers who report phishing emails.
10. Keep every device “patched.” Software manufacturers often release updates that will “patch” or fix security vulnerabilities. Ensure you apply those updates automatically.
Tightening access controls, updating software and training employees won’t necessarily stop every cyberattack, but these steps will reduce your exposure to cyber risks. The key is consistency. Regularly review your security measures and make any suggested adjustments to help avoid costly disruptions later. Contact us for help devising and implementing cybersecurity measures.
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