digital padlock
Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin

5 Cybersecurity Tips to Protect Your Business

It seems like every day in the news we hear about another cyberattack or data breach for a big corporation. Small business owners might think they are safe from hackers since they target large corporations. In reality, 43% of all cyberattacks target small businesses, so you can’t stay complacent.

Hackers target small businesses because they have fewer business security measures to protect their information. These cyberattacks can cost your business thousands. So you are better off investing in your cybersecurity than leaving yourself vulnerable.

How can you improve your company’s security? Check out these five cybersecurity tips to protect your business from cyberattacks and data breaches.

1. Use Strong Passwords and Two-Factor Authentication

Passwords are your first defense against hackers, so you want to make them strong and hard to crack. Your passwords should be at least eight characters long and include numbers and characters.

Passwords should never be shared with coworkers, and everyone should have their own unique password. You will also want to have a policy requiring everyone to change their password every three to six months.

Join Our Small Business Community

Get the latest news, resources and tips to help you and your small business succeed.

Two-factor authentication protects against hackers by requiring extra information before allowing access. This additional information could include identifying info like a fingerprint or a time-sensitive code sent to your phone via text. TFA helps ensure only the account owner can access your system or information.

2. Train Employees to Combat Phishing Emails

Many cyberattacks target businesses through email. Phishing emails look legitimate, getting employees to click on a link and enter their information on a site where hackers can steal it. Hackers also send malware through email attachments that can then harm your computers.

Since hackers are making these emails look more and more like the real thing, it’s essential to train your employees to recognize them and report them. Employee inattentiveness has led to many cybersecurity breaches, so the better they can identify threats, the safer your business will be.

3. Back Up Your Data

Ransomware attacks are a type of cyberattack where hackers lock a computer user out of a device and ask for money before unlocking it. If you have all of your data stored on the computer with no other way to access it, you will have no other choice but to pay the ransom. But if your data is backed up on another computer or the cloud, getting rid of ransomware is much easier.

4. Use Security Software and Firewalls 

Installing security software on your business’s computers can help you detect and eliminate viruses and malware on your devices. You can also install firewalls to protect your network from infiltration. Together, this software creates a strong defense against many kinds of cyber threats, so they are well worth the cost.

5. Consult the Experts 

Between phishing emails, malware, and ransomware, there are often too many threats for you and your IT team to keep up with your security needs. Your team might not have the knowledge or capacity to maintain your network security regularly. Luckily you can outsource these tasks to professionals.

Managed IT services provide cybersecurity services to help your business stay on top of today’s cyber threats. They can help you create and execute a cybersecurity plan to protect your business from hackers.

Put These Cybersecurity Tips Into Practice 

These are just a few cybersecurity tips to get you started protecting your business. There are many ways to increase your business’s cybersecurity, but taking these few measures can help prevent an attack. Use these tips to create a more comprehensive cybersecurity plan to protect your business from different cyber risks.

Are you looking for more information about cybersecurity for your small business? Check out our website for more articles like this one.

Join Our Small Business Community

Get the latest news, resources and tips to help you and your small business succeed.

RECENT POST