Cyber Security and Small Business
Best practices for keeping your small business information secure.
We’ve all heard the stories on the news about hackers and data breaches. The articles we see are often related to large corporations and government agencies, but that doesn’t mean small businesses are immune. In fact, half of the 28 million small businesses in the United States were targeted by hackers last year alone (source: CNBC).
So how do you better secure your small business? Well that’s what this article is all about. I’ll outline the top 4 tips on making your small business network less vulnerable to cyber attacks.
1. Keep Your Security Software Up to Date
There are many solutions out there for small business cyber security. Whether it’s Symantec Endpoint Protection, Bitdefender GravityZone Business Security or some other product, it should be installed, updated and fully functioning on every computer on your network.
Jason’s Recommendation: Bitdefender Gravityzone Business Security (No, they don’t sponsor me)
Also see: 10 Best Antivirus Products of 2017
2. Implement a Password Policy
Even if you have standalone computers on your network with no server you can still implement a password policy on your business computers. Your passwords should include at least 8 characters (the more the merrier) with a mix of letters and numbers and special symbols. The policy should also state that the password must be changed to something different every 30-60 days. Some companies are even asking for passphrases where the password is a sentence generated by the user (spaces included).
3. Limit Users Admin Rights
Limit or eliminate the ability for users to install software on their own computers without a password override. This not only prevents employees for installing unauthorized software but can also help prevent malware from unintentionally being installed as well.
4. Educate
Simply put, educating your employees to be more aware of their surroundings while online is vital in preventing cyber attacks. There is a wealth of resources available to help in this process. I recommend a free course that’s available from Eset (CyberSecurity Awareness Training).
In Conclusion...
Cybersecurity is not anything that should be taken lightly by any business or organization, no matter how large or small. I hope you’ll implement these policies into your small business and take a big step towards keeping your data as well as your customers data safe and secure.
Happy Computing,
Jason
