With data theft becoming an all-too-common problem for businesses of all sizes, it behooves all business owners to stay on top of this threat. Laxness in the cybersecurity department can have lasting consequences for your business, staff and clients.
Fortunately, keeping your data out of the wrong hands isn’t quite as challenging as you may think. In the interest of maintaining solid cybersecurity for your business, put the following pointers to good use.
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Be Mindful Of Network Security
When working to keep data thieves and other cybercriminals off your office’s wireless network, there are a number of effective steps you can take. For starters, if you don’t want to turn off SSID broadcasting, make sure to password-protect your network.
Secondly, you should never stick with the network’s default administrator password or network name. Since many routers come equipped with the same administrator password, savvy cybercriminals need only ascertain the type of router you have in order to guess your password. This isn’t helped by the fact that default network names often contain a router’s maker and model.
Equip All Workplace Devices With Antivirus Software
Dependable antivirus software can help keep your workplace devices safe from viruses, malware and a host of other cyberthreats. So, if any of your computers, phones or any other office devices are currently lacking antivirus protection, now would be the time to correct this.
In addition to outfitting every device with reliable antivirus software, make sure that individual employees install software updates as they become available.
By extension, you should also require all team members to install operating system updates at their earliest convenience. In many cases, these updates are created in direct response to new and emerging threats, so the longer someone sits on them, the more vulnerable their devices – and any data thereon – are to said threats.
When shopping around for the right antivirus software, there are two key factors you’ll need to consider. For starters, what are other people saying about this particular software? Perusing consumer feedback sites and message boards can be a great way to obtain pertinent info on the matter.
Secondly, is the software in question well-suited to your business’s individual security needs? For best results, you should limit your options to software designed with businesses in mind. Additionally, businesses that regularly deal with sensitive financial data should get in touch with a dependable data conversion company like NXTsoft.
Educate Your Staff On Proper Cybersecurity Practices
Your cybersecurity efforts are only as strong as your least careful team member. With this in mind, take the time to educate your staff on proper cybersecurity practices. Teaching them the ins and outs of solid cybersecurity can provide them with the knowledge they need to keep data safe and avoid making a host of costly blunders.
Of course, it’s important to remember that not every member of your team is going to be equally adept at processing and implementing this information. That being the case, you should encourage anyone who has questions to bring them to you forthwith.
Additionally, to ensure that no employees are hesitant to come forward, make it clear that there is absolutely no shame in seeking clarity on matters relating to cybersecurity.
Take Action Against Repeat Offenders
It seems like every workplace has at least one employee who has trouble adhering to proper cybersecurity practices. In some cases, such behavior is born from sheer ignorance of all things cybersecurity-related. In others, the offending parties are well aware of the tenets of good cybersecurity but simply choose to ignore them.
If any of your team members regularly eschew proper cybersecurity practices despite knowing the risks of their behavior, you may need to take disciplinary measures in order to disincentivize recurrences. Imposing consequences on repeat offenders may be the only effective way to make them learn from their actions.
This doesn’t mean that anyone needs to get fired, but it’s important for team members to know that shrugging off cybersecurity can result in undesirable consequences for themselves and their employer.
Given the immense rise in data theft, it’s imperative that businesses of all sizes take measures to protect themselves. No matter how small your business is, data theft can prove damaging to your clients and financially ruinous for you.
Unfortunately, a staggering number of small businesses refuse to take even minimal precautions against data theft and other types of cybercrime. Needless to say, many of them go on to regret such an oversight. To help ensure that your small business isn’t among them, heed the advice outlined above.
