Many small businesses overlook the potential dangers of conducting business online because they assume that hackers wouldn’t target their small firm. However, having that mentality can leave you vulnerable to attacks, which could have significant consequences later after your brand and bank account have started to pick up steam. Thus, every SME should strive to exercise the same level of security as larger corporations because if you do expand and become a bigger “target”, you will want your cybersecurity protocols to be in place well before then to keep all data safe from damage, deletion, and theft. With that said, here are four specific steps you can take to safeguard your small business.
1. Equip All Devices with Cyber Protection
The very first thing you should do to every device that connects to your network is install a comprehensive antivirus suite that offers live protection. Unprotected devices are vulnerable to malware, which could spread to other devices on the network. You’ll want to use a software that includes a powerful firewall. In addition to standalone security software, you may also want to invest in managed cybersecurity protection services as your business grows and amasses more valuable digital assets.
2. Controlling User Access and Permissions
Sometimes data can be leaked from within your own network by an employee or by a hacker who gains access to your administrative interface using stolen or cracked credentials. By keeping track of all file and database access on a per-user basis, and only granting sensitive data permissions to high-level employees, you can greatly reduce the risk of confidentiality lapses. With data breaches being a major security concern nowadays, it is wise to know everything about how your data is being accessed and handled by network users.
3. Use Virtual Machines
Unfortunately, sometimes even the most updated and advanced software can fall victim to zero-day threats – malware so new that the developers don’t yet have a definition/solution for it. To provide an extra layer of protection in case your antivirus fails, consider operating with virtual machines. A virtual machine is essentially another operating system that exists separate from your host operating system. If the VM is ever infected by malware, in most cases, the issue will not affect the host OS.
4. Operate in the Cloud
Many companies do their computing in the cloud, which is just a fancy way to say that you’re using virtual operating systems hosted on a network of remote servers. This is a great way to ensure complete data redundancy and maximum uptime because instead of depending on one data center, you’ll have the power of the cloud.
Syncs and Backups are Crucial
In closing, there is always a chance that your cybersecurity protection efforts could fail, or your company could fall victim to a disaster that results in a loss of data. To make sure you never lose any essential information, be sure to use automated syncing and backup apps to keep your entire network backed up on a timed basis.
