Over the past two decades or so, businesses have increasingly come to rely on the digital realm for their everyday operations. As a result, vulnerability to digital threats and cyber-attacks has become a concern that’s too big to ignore. Understanding the basics of cyber security is essential for all business owners who want to take their online security seriously – let’s take a quick look at what you should know.
Strong passwords
This is one of the most common ways in which cyber-attacks can be easily prevented – by using strong passwords. Lots of people consider passwords as nothing more than an annoyance, forgetting that they’re literally the key to the lock that secures any digital space.
Simple passwords create unnecessary weaknesses, ones that are susceptible to hacking and can potentially result in significant security breaches. You should have clear password policies in place, and ensure that all employees follow them to a T.
Consult professionals
Most people wouldn’t choose and install their business’s alarm system themselves, so why treat digital security any differently? It can be incredibly beneficial to reach out to a cyber security firm such as Mitigate Cyber, for a consultation on how you can improve your approach to digital safety. They’ll be able to take a look at your current overall approach, making suggestions on any improvements they spot. Their insights can be literally invaluable, especially if they prevent a data leak or other form of cyber attack.
Stay updated
In addition to strong passwords, updating your software is one of the simplest and most important things that you can do to increase your online security. Software updates are often created to patch up weak spots that the developers notice later on – leaving those updates for longer than necessary can leave you vulnerable to attacks. Again, this is something that you should make clear to all employees, sending out reminders on the importance of updating as soon as those updates are made available.
Secure networks
While it’s become a little more difficult in the age of remote working, it’s imperative to take the risk of using unsecured networks seriously. There are a range of solutions that employees can use, from encryption to VPNs, and you’ll likely need to work with a cybersecurity specialist to see which solutions are appropriate for your situation.
Data backups
One of the main risks that businesses need to consider is data loss – either accidental or as a result of a cyber-attack. In addition to the approaches listed above, there are also a few ways in which you can limit the damage done by these events, primarily through using multiple data backups. These could include multiple cloud-based solutions, and for especially sensitive data, you can even use hard drive backups as well.
Cyber security is not something to be taken lightly. Luckily, there are a range of different solutions available to individuals and businesses who want to protect their digital presence. By taking the steps listed above, you can limit the probability that you’ll be subject to a cyber attack, while limiting the damage that would be done in the case that one were to occur.
