Cybersecurity is a must for today’s connected businesses. One of the biggest challenges, especially for smaller businesses, is the lack of financial resources to help defend against a cyber-attack. However, there are some tips that a business of any size, but especially a smaller business, can utilize to help protect themselves from a cyber-attack without blowing your budget.
Employee Education
It’s true that employees can be your greatest weakness when it comes to cybersecurity. Cyber-attacks can be prevented by training employees properly. This can help you become your company's greatest strength. There are many ways companies can educate staff including seminars and videos, but one of the most effective ways is through some type of active training. Cyber awareness simulations can be effective in teaching employees how to avoid cyber scams. It will also help gauge just where your staff is at when it comes to being security savvy.
Multifactor Authentication
Weak passwords and password re-use by users tend to be the downfall of many organizations that have suffered a breach. A hacker who gets your password will have a more difficult time breaking in with multifactor authentication, as they will need something else, other than the password to gain access (such as a code sent in a text or generated by an app). While not completely foolproof, multifactor authentication can be enough of a deterrent to make a criminal go elsewhere. It also has the potential to alert you if someone has tried to make an unsuccessful attempt at accessing your credentials.
Up-to-date Antivirus Software
This is key, as so much malware and ransomware are coming in via phishing email. One way to prevent malware and viruses from being installed on your network is to have up-to-date antivirus software installed on all company devices and networks.
Back up Data Regularly
Having reliable backups to restore your data is very important. You need to be able to restore your data regardless of whether it was erased accidentally or by ransomware. Being able to recover your data quickly can mean the difference between keeping your business running and having to shut it down. A best practice for securing your back-ups involves keeping a copy or copies of back-ups off-site and offline. Always test to ensure that you can restore from the back-ups should the need ever arise.
These tips are inexpensive and can go a long way to helping to secure your network. When it comes to cybersecurity, the cost isn’t as much of an issue as you would think. Businesses of all sizes can find a solution that works for them without breaking the budget. If you need help sourcing a cost-effective cybersecurity solution, contact Quick Intelligence.
