Getting a new company off the ground could be a challenging task. Suddenly, you become responsible for devising a budget, paying salaries and taxes, laying down a marketing strategy, and much more. Unfortunately,new businesses usually overlook the importance of cybersecurity.
There is a perception that cybersecurity is expensive and necessitates an IT department to deal with it. But this is simply not true. As a small business owner, you can undertakemany simple and budget-friendly measures to protect your customers, employees, and financial data in the digital realm. We are listing these tried-and-true cybersecurity tips below:
1. Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Using multi-factor authentication while signing in is an excellent strategy to secure your most sensitive accounts from hackers. So what is two or multi-factor authentication, and how can it safeguard your most sensitive accounts? After submitting a password, the multi-factor authentication login process requires the second, one-time passcode (OTP) that is transmitted to a different device before granting access. You could receive OTP through text message or email, depending on the convenience.
2. Change Passwords Regularly
Password protection is essential, but so is changing your passwords regularly. Ideally, the required interval for changing a password is between 30 and 90 days. That said, changing your password may depend on how frequently the account is used and the nature of data in a specific platform or software. For example, if you have difficulty remembering multiple passwords, you may download the password manager for android and iPhone to keep all your passwords secure.
3. Update Software
Now let's talk about something that is the easiest to put into practice but is usually disregarded. First, you must ensure that all of your company's computers, laptops, tablets, and cell phones are up-to-date. In addition, you should keep an eye out for any recently discovered security issues in the software.
Most of the updates we are prompted to install by Windows and iOS aresoftware fixes designed to improve the system's level of security. As soon as a bug is identified, the developers at these companies are quick to produce the necessary fixes.
So what steps can business owners take to ensure that each deviceruns the most recent software version? As a general rule, we recommend that you set aside one evening a week to do a technology audit. Alternatively, you may also enable automatic updates on all business devices.
4. Protect Your Wireless Networks
Businesses must take every preventive measure to protect their wireless networks. One of the most prevalent ways to do that is to change the router's default name and password. At the same time,it is essential to rename the router tosomething that does not disclose your company's identity.
Besides, do not let anyone use your network unless they have been permitted. In other words, consider putting restrictions on access. Every device connected to your Wi-Fi has a unique media access control (MAC) address. By filtering out certain MAC addresses, you can easily control who has access to your network. If you are unsure how to do this, turn to your user manual. You can use the "guest" account if you have a standard wireless router. With this function, you may provide guests with their wireless network with a separate password while protecting your credentials.
5. Switch To Cloud Storage
If you are tired of juggling USB drives, you should store your data in the cloud. Your data is typically stored on a service provider's infrastructure with a stronger security level. It implies that you can keep your data in a different place. Moreover, most service providers will grant you free access to a predetermined amount of storage space. After that, you will be expected to pay a fee to access additional capacity. For the level of protection you receive, the cost is negligible.
6. Train Your Employees
In 2021,94% of organizations' security had been breached by insiders. Of course, being humans, we are bound to make mistakes in the workplace. But that does not mean you should overlook training and educating employees. To begin with, employees must be trained to recognize phishing emails and the procedures for reporting internal risks.
It would also help if you taught your staff not to install third-party programs on company-supplied mobile devices. Finally, as part of the onboarding process, consider providing staff awareness training to ensure everyone is on the same page.
Conclusion
Though large organizations and government agencies often accumulate the limelight, most small enterprises are the real victims of cyberattacks. What could be the reason behind this? It is mainly because small businesses fall short of implementing security measures. Fortunately for small enterprises, comprehensive cybersecurity is within their reach.You need to walk the tight line of the above tips to stay protected from cyberattacks.
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