If your business is currently overlooking cybersecurity and the very real threats that exist out there, that’s something you might come to regret sooner or later. Instead, you should take action today and think about what you can do to begin professionalizing your approach to cybersecurity.
There are lots of things to consider and ways in which you can make your business better prepared for the threats that exist in the modern world. Lots of businesses have already been severely damaged by hacks and attacks, and you don’t want the same to happen to you.
Deliver Cybersecurity Awareness Training
One of the first things your business can start to do is deliver training to all of its staff members. Your business is only as safe as your employees make it. If they fall for scams and cyber attacks without spotting them, it’ll be the business that suffers. That’s why it’s so important to make sure that each and every member of your team has the specific cybersecurity training they need.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication
Multi-factor authentication is something that you should definitely be using if you want to make sure that only authorized personnel are accessing particular systems or logging into private accounts. 2FA as it is also known uses a secondary login, meaning that a username and password alone aren’t enough. They also require some sort of input from the individual, usually via a code sent to a phone number belonging to them. Putting this in place will make your company much more secure.
Keep Software and Firmware Up to Date
One of the easiest things you can do to ensure your business is secure is to keep the software and firmware you rely on from day to day up to date. If it’s not up to date, there’s a chance that there are security flaws in place that could be exploited by people with malicious intentions. Updates released by developers very often contain security patches in them, and that’s why installing them as soon as they’re released is so important.
Use Managed IT Services
Finding managed IT services that offer what you’re looking for in terms of further checks and oversights might be a good idea. If you don’t have the time or resources to be monitoring your network and systems for threats on a constant basis, you need to work with a company who can offer that level of protection and oversight for you. There are lots of managed IT service providers that’ll be able to do exactly that, so you don’t need to do this alone.
Enforce Strong Password Policies
Strong password policies definitely need to be put in place if you want to make sure that no one who isn’t authorized can gain access to your systems. The easiest way for hackers to get into your systems and networks is to have predictable passwords in place. Creating guidelines for password strength is a good idea as this will ensure that no one on your team lets the business down by putting in place a simple and predictable password.
Secure the Wifi Network
One of the things you’ll need to think about is the wifi you use. If your wifi network is not fully private and secured, you’ll essentially be handing over access to your network to potential hackers and people looking to steal data. So the very least you should do is secure your network. And if you have staff members working from home, you’ll have to take steps to ensure their networks are secured too. It’s also a good idea to recommend staff members don’t log onto public wifi when completing work.
Use a Robust Firewall
Putting in place a robust firewall that you can trust to protect your business against external threats is also something that’s very important. Not all firewalls are equal, with some offering far better attention than others. You should make sure that you’re choosing a firewall that offers an extensive and comprehensive level of protection if you don’t want to have it fail on you later on down the line. There’s always a risk that might happen if you make the wrong selection.
As you can see, there are lots of changes you can start to implement if you think the time has come for you to improve the way in which you combat the cybersecurity threats that exist in the world today. Businesses that fail to take a professional approach will probably end up regretting it later.
