9 Cybersecurity Tips for Small Businesses

Launching a new website for your company? Before you do, consider the following: How sure are you that no one will hack into your system and steal vital information from your consumers or employees?

Keep in mind that their credit card information and other valuable data are now stored in your company’s databases. That data is also at risk whenever computers go online. Your network has to stay strong with a reliable security plan.

Don’t worry if you feel a little lost with all the technobabble. We have 9 valuable cybersecurity tips to help you keep all this information safe and secured. Read our list below to get started.

1. Stronger Passwords

Avoid common passwords like “qwerty” or “123456.” Using your name, birthday, anniversary date, or your child’s name are also horrible ideas. Hackers can guess those simply by checking your Facebook or Instagram pages.

Use ASCII codes or at least passwords that incorporate small letters, capital letters, numbers, and special characters. Let employees use password manager apps so they can regularly change and keep track of their passwords.

2. Backup Everything

There will always be an information technology expert and hacker who can and will shut your business down. It’s almost an inevitability. However, you can still recover from an attack like this if you consistently keep a backup.

If possible, back up everything once a week or at least once a month. You can also automate this process so that all documents instantly upload to a secure cloud network. If you ever get hacked, it’ll be as easy and downloading everything back.

3. Use Firewalls and VPNs

A VPN isn’t going to save your business all the time but it’s a useful tool to enhance security. VPNs mask your online identity and encrypt data sent over the Internet. This prevents hackers from stealing data sent through emails, chat, and more. 

Firewalls, on the other hand, prevent unauthorized access to a network. This also includes access from unfamiliar servers. Make sure to list the servers you’ll allow to pass through the business’s firewall.

4. Train and Educate

You can spend thousands of dollars on the best security software and other methods but none of it will matter if security breaches come from your employees. Someone clicking on a pop-up ad layered with malware can turn everything upside down.

Start securing a business by training your workers. Let them understand the risks and drill them on the important safety procedures to prevent potential exposure to hackers, viruses, and more. Make it a point to teach them the importance of updating and using complex passwords too!

5. Separate Work and Leisure

As mentioned, small business cybersecurity starts with your employees. Restrict the level of leisure they can do on the computers they use for work, especially if the company owns these computers. These units are for work, so make sure they understand the value of separating pleasure from work. 

This means they shouldn’t be able to download and install games on their work PCs. Employees shouldn’t be able to access social media platforms on their PCs either. If they want to play games or get on Instagram, TikTok, or other platforms, let them use their personal devices like a phone or laptop.

However, even that can expose your business. A leak in the network through a private device is still a threat. 

6. Limit Access

Layered access is a strong security procedure. 

For example, customer service representatives should only be able to access the browser and tools they need to respond to consumer inquiries. Don’t grant them access to things like the inventory database, security files, and managerial documents. Those things don’t relate to their work, so cut off their access.

Doing this will reduce the risk of someone accidentally exposing the business to a cybersecurity threat.

7. Hire IT Support

It’s no secret that handling cybersecurity is no easy task. There are a lot of little things to manage, from handling backups to the firewall. There are also complex security measures like handling downtime support and networking concerns.

To deal with this on a professional level, it’s better to hire IT support for businesses. Keep in mind that they have the training, experience, and skills to handle the job well, like the folks from this IT support company.

8. Test the Waters

Not sure whether or not your business has a strong security system? Test it by hacking your own network. Hire professional hackers and see if they can get through it.

Of course, this may involve them sending phishing emails to your employees, utilizing pop-up ads, and other tools that hackers use. Don’t fret, these are only mock viruses and methods to test how well-trained your employees are and how strong your cybersecurity measures are.

If you hire professional IT support teams, they can do this for you. This is how they’ll test their own work. 

9. Have a Defense Plan

At the end of the day, expect the worst. There is always going to be a chance that your network will get hacked. Someone may make a small mistake that will cascade into a network-wide ransomware attack. 

When it happens, make sure you already have a response plan ready. Having a plan and not needing it is always going to be safer than needing it and not having one. Again, ask the IT support experts for a step-by-step response plan you can implement in case an attack does occur. 

Follow These Cybersecurity Tips Now

Don’t let your small business fall victim to a major attack. Follow these cybersecurity tips to save your company from hacks, viruses, and other potential threats. Have a defense plan, hire IT experts, practice using complex passwords, and always invest in good employee training.

Of course, cybersecurity doesn’t end here. You also need to know which are the best tools and antiviruses to invest in. Discover which ones are worth your money by reading more of our in-depth tech and security guides!