Business owners, managers, and employees alike have become increasingly reliant on electronic data to run their operations.
From financial applications that track assets and expenses to customer service software that helps staff respond to customers in real time, the modern business is largely dependent on these programs to function. However, the increasing reliance on digital information has created a looming cybersecurity threat.
Cyberattacks are becoming more prevalent than ever before, which is why every business owner and manager should be aware of how they can tackle this growing problem. According Fortunately, there are plenty of simple ways you can protect your company’s data from cybercrimes. Here we explain five of them so you can start taking action today (even if you don’t know where to begin).
Establish a cybersecurity policy
One of the best ways to ensure the security of your data is to establish a cybersecurity policy. This will define the company’s cybersecurity policy, and outline the steps that staff should follow in the event of a data breach. It will also lay out the consequences of breaking this policy, along with the ways that you will be addressing cybersecurity within the company. While a cybersecurity policy is important no matter what size your business is, it is especially important for small and midsize businesses. The number of cyberattacks are increasing, and a cybersecurity policy can help prevent them from ever happening.
A cybersecurity policy can also help you avoid liability when it comes to data breaches. The details of the policy will depend on the specifics of your business and the risks that it faces. However, a basic cybersecurity policy will likely include the following elements: – When to report a data breach – If an unauthorized person gains access to your systems, or your employees fail to protect sensitive data, a cybersecurity policy will likely require that you report the breach as soon as possible. Doing so will help you determine the source of the breach and ensure that you find and stop the person responsible. – What information you should keep secure – Depending on the specifics of your business, you may decide to keep a variety of different types of data secure. If your most critical data is financial, you may keep this separate from customer data that you’d rather not lose.
Train staff on cybersecurity
When it comes to cybersecurity, the best defense is a good offense. By implementing a cybersecurity policy, staff should understand the policies that need to be followed in the event of a breach. But, if they aren’t trained to follow these policies, they can forget the procedures altogether. That’s why it’s important to also train staff on cybersecurity. While it may seem like a waste of time to teach employees how to follow policies that they will forget anyway, it’s an important first step towards ensuring the security of your data.
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For example, if your policy requires that you report a breach as soon as possible, you should explain to your staff exactly what should happen. Most people will immediately understand the importance of this in the event of a breach, but not everyone will follow through with the proper procedures. Training also ensures that you stay up to date on cybersecurity best practices as they evolve. As cybersecurity threats become more sophisticated, and better tools emerge, best practices may change. This means that your staff need to be trained on the latest procedures, too.
Don’t store sensitive data online
The growing prevalence of cybersecurity threats has meant that data thieves have started to target the most obvious places for storing data. If you don’t store sensitive data online, you can avoid potential problems. For example, sensitive financial data may need to be stored offline. That means that you should avoid storing it in a cloud-based server, or on a computer that is only connected to the internet. Instead, you should store this data in an offline system. In addition, you should avoid storing sensitive data online altogether. This means that you should avoid using online storage systems, like Dropbox or Google Drive, to store documents.
Install a business software platform with built-in security
While a cybersecurity policy can help you to establish a strong cybersecurity culture within your company, it may not be enough. That’s why it’s important to also consider third-party solutions. Installing a business software platform with built-in security can be an important step towards protecting your data.
The best platforms will have a wide range of built-in security features, and these will help to protect your data. For example, security platforms will often include features that allow you to control who has access to certain features, or to prevent certain users from accessing certain data. It’s also important to choose a security platform that has been rigorously tested. This means that you can be confident that it will deliver on its promises when it comes to cybersecurity.
Keep an eye out for odd behaviour in your network
As we’ve explained in this article, data breaches are becoming more and more common. This means that cybersecurity threats are a serious problem for business owners. It’s important to keep an eye out for potential problems in your network. This includes ensuring that you are aware of any odd behaviour in your network. For example, if a user suddenly appears to be accessing their system from an unusual IP address, this may be an indication that they have broken into your system. This should be investigated as quickly as possible, to determine the source of the problem and stop the person responsible.
Wrapping up
The growing prevalence of cybersecurity threats is a serious problem for business owners. This means that it’s important to keep an eye out for odd behaviour in your network. This includes ensuring that you are aware of any odd behaviour in your network. For example, if a user suddenly appears to be accessing their system from an unusual IP address, this may be an indication that they have broken into your system. This should be investigated as quickly as possible, to determine the source of the problem and stop the person responsible.
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