While huge companies catch the news headlines from time to time with significant data breaches, that doesn’t mean that small businesses aren’t breached. The truth is, small businesses are more frequently subjected to attacks and data breaches, but without being too famous for going viral through the headlines.
Hackers target huge corporations, as well as smaller businesses in different industries. That’s why small companies and startups should never ignore investing in their security.
Here are some of our best tips for making your company’s data more secure:
Managing access levels and permissions
Defining layers of access is a fundamental and essential step when it comes to security over the scope of a whole company. This makes data safer and protects all the data including the sensitive information that you never want it accessed randomly, which can be very dangerous.
Permissions should be clear for each employee depending on their tasks, and they can differ between access, editing, management, and so on. An integrated workflow automation software can help businesses organize permissions effectively while speeding up processing and making them more efficient.
Planning for attacks and simulating them
Working with the software agency or IT department or consultant to plan and simulate attacks is essential. You always need to prepare for the worst-case and schedule automatic backups to keep your data safe, and that should be done in the best and most reliable way with the help of professionals.
Some companies can even hire ethical hackers to help them learn and close vulnerabilities in the company’s systems, using the same tools and knowledge of the unethical hackers that can ransom or steal data.
Utilizing password protection the right way
When business owners create new accounts, they make sure they make strong passwords. However, what is needed is to take care of each account created even by other employees in the company, which will only happen with strict guidelines on that matter.
Not only accounts should be secured with strong passwords, but also each network, access point or computer inside the company with clear instructions to keep these networks and computers safe and only accessible by specific employees.
Taking advantage of cloud technologies
While keeping your data inside your local servers can help you have full control over it, this means that you are totally responsible for the security of this data. That’s why small businesses and startups can leave this responsibility for another company that is dedicated to it, using a cloud service.
Cloud services allow data to be stored with many security features in place that is continuously updated. This will help you focus on your work and leave the whole storage aspect for other professionals to manage outside your company.
Educating employees and monitoring their devices
If your business is giving employees computers or other devices for work usage, or if they use their personal devices, these devices should be monitored and controlled, as they get access to your company’s data.
The network administrator should install monitoring software, ensure system and software updates are enrolled continuously, and automatically, passwords are strong and shared properly only when allowed and even monitor data usage and control usage of specific software.
Employees should also be trained on the best practices regarding security, whether they are already employed or will be newly hired. Following security protocols should be critical, and never a secondary issue for everyone.
Not leaving paperwork behind
While cybersecurity is of the biggest aspects businesses now look for, other data in the paper that is sensitive should never be ignored. Someone who would want to harm your company can just take advantage of your occupation with cybersecurity and do it the other way.
If you can make paperwork a part of the past, then it can surely be better and safer. But until then, information on papers should be highly secured.
