Just because you’re operating a small business doesn’t mean you’re safe from cyber attacks. In fact, 81% of all cybersecurity breaches happen to small and medium-sized businesses. Businesses in the SME segment are often unprepared for a cyber attack, which makes them highly vulnerable to such attacks.
So how do you ensure your business is protected from cyberattacks at all times? In this article, we share our advice on the steps you can take today in order to protect your business from a cyber attack. We’ve also created an infographic for you to take a look at. Look below to see the infographic: 15 Ways To Protect Your Business From A Cyber Attack
Any and all of the software utilised by your company and your employees should be updated to the latest version. Old applications may have loopholes that can be exploited by hackers to enter your company networks and steal sensitive data, launch a cyber attack, and cause a massive amount of damage to your business and its reputation.
Check all major software for updates or new security patches, at least on a bi-weekly basis. Then make sure you apply the available security patches and updates on all the devices.
Data encryption remains one of the most efficient forms of safety against data breaches. An effective cybersecurity strategy gives a lot of value to data backup and data encryption. This way if your company’s sensitive data falls in the wrong hands, there would be nothing to lose. Make sure you first encrypt and then backup sensitive data, including private customer information, employee information and other types of sensitive business data.
When it comes to cybersecurity, there’s a common saying – “you are only as secure as your least informed employee” – and it holds true. What if an unsuspecting employee at your office uses weak passwords or falls for a phishing attempt – and their system is compromised?
This is why it’s critical to ensure your staff members know how cybercriminals could trick them into revealing sensitive, private information. They should be able to identify a suspicious phone call or email within no time. Train them on how to safeguard the organisation from these kinds of attacks. Having strong policies for cybersecurity best practices is a good place to start.
A well-planned and effective Disaster Recovery Plan will pave the way for a swift reaction if your organisation does experience a cyberattack in the future. It should have a well-defined escalation path, and proactive communication is to be prioritised in case such an unfortunate incident occurs.
It’s important to invest in anti-malware software that has been specially designed to deal with the latest malware threats. While anti-malware software can catch and isolate malware and viruses when they strike, it’s critical to prevent these threats from attacking your systems in the first place – and this is where a firewall comes into the picture.
Final Thoughts
Keeping your company safe and secure against cyber threats requires plenty of diligence and development of a foolproof cybersecurity strategy. By combining best practices and professional advice, you can effectively address these challenges.
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