The number of cybercrimes in small-scale enterprises increased in recent years. And, this raises the importance of deploying effective online security measures. More than 60% of small businesses don’t have an incident response plan. It makes the data recovery process more challenging.
Every entrepreneur should create a cybersecurity plan in the first place. This will help them to combat the data loss situation after a cyber-attack. Additionally, you should focus on developing the device and network security. A security lock isn’t enough to block hackers from accessing office computers.
Use an antivirus program to minimise data security threats. Besides, you should avoid using public Wi-Fi. Most phishing and DDoS attacks came from there. As the public wireless networks are not secured with end-to-end encryption technology. Always connect the smartphones or office laptops with a reliable Wi-Fi connection.
Here are a few more cybersecurity protocols that small businesses should use:
1. Start with Making a Cybersecurity Plan
A cybersecurity plan plays a pivotal role in securing small companies from hackers. You should add a weekly or monthly employee training program there. The employees should get a clear understanding of the security policies. Contact Smart Data Recovery to know more about this.
Additionally, employers should tell the workers the importance of software updates. Decline the time of RTO and RPO in the response plan. The lower the RPO time, the less there will be chances of data loss.
Every employee should restore the business data in three storage units. Here are a few things that you should include in the cybersecurity plan:
- Whom should the employees contact after identifying a malware attack?
- Where to restore the crucial business information?
- Detect the source of the online attack
- Which will be the ideal cybersecurity practice to prevent the breach?
2. Secure the Email Accounts
Many small businesses experienced email phishing in the past few years. And, there are several reasons behind that. Most employees use easy to decode passwords like “password” or “abc1234”.
Once the hackers identify that, they can access all your emails. Reset the email password after every three months to reduce security risks. Additionally, you should add at least 12 characters to the password.
Do you have more than one email account? Don’t use the same password in every account. Select “Never” when the browser gives the option to save a password. Enable the two-step verification option if you use Chrome. It provides an extra layer of security to the email accounts.
What are the Other Ways to Increase Email Security?
An out-of-date operating system makes the device vulnerable to cyber attacks. Ensure the office computers are updated and protected with security apps.
Do you use Gmail to send emails to clients? Check which apps you have allowed accessing the data. If you get any third-party app in the list, remove it immediately.
Besides, more than 25% of small companies use Outlook to send emails. And, an unsecured Outlook account can cause security threats in the organisation. Check the account history to ensure you haven’t accessed any malicious emails. Furthermore, you shouldn’t open emails that haven’t come from a legitimate source.
3. Get the Firewall Protection
An antivirus program sometimes fails to identify the potential threats. This is why you should also use a firewall to protect small businesses. It prevents hackers from gaining unauthorised access to business data. Additionally, the latest firewalls can safeguard emails and office devices from data threats.
A firewall can even restrict the users from accessing malicious sites. It blocks the virus-infected program from breaking into the device. You can use Windows’s built-in firewall program to keep the data safe. Or, entrepreneurs can install next-generation firewalls using a browser.
Check its features and subscription fee before that. Go with a firewall that has the best security options.
4. Secure the Wi-Fi Connection
In this remote working environment, it’s important to have a reliable Wi-Fi connection. Without that, the hackers can gain easy access to the office network. Most router manufacturers include effective security features these days. Use them to enhance the browsing experience.
Moreover, you should change the Wi-Fi password after every month. The wireless router mostly uses default passwords, like “admin” or “password”. And, the hackers can quickly identify these sorts of passwords. Create a new password that includes letters, numbers and special characters. Set a unique Wi-Fi name to secure the wireless network.
What are the Other Ways to Increase Network Security?
Change the encryption type from WEP to WPA2-Personal. Or, you can even use the WPA3 standard to prevent incoming traffic. Always use a VPN connection when using Wi-Fi to perform business work. Moreover, you should disable the wireless router’s auto-connection feature.
Never connect the office devices to a hidden Wi-Fi network. Turn off the WPS functionality from the advanced home routers. Because hackers can monitor your online activities when this feature is on. Create a guest network for the clients and use a different password there. And, disable the Wi-Fi radio when the internet is no longer required.
5. Use a Reliable Payment Gateway
Do you operate an online business? Always use a secure payment processor. It will help you to gain customers’ or clients’ trust and be a surefire step towards stopping payment fraud that damages both your bottom line and reputation. Ensure the payment gateway you choose is easy to use and use two-factor authentication to keep the data safe. Additionally, you should use SSL and TLS to encrypt confidential data. Additionally, protect the customer accounts using a strong password.
Small businesses should implement 3D secure technology. It prevents hackers from checking the user’s credit or debit card details. This security measure protects business owners from chargeback when fraudulent transactions occur. Match the IP and billing address details to minimise online threats. Furthermore, you can use SCA to increase online payment security.
6. Backup is Important
Data backups are important to increase business security. Many small business operators neglect and end up losing important data. And, this can cause severe business and revenue loss. Every employee needs to restore the data regularly on a secured device. You can keep the data in storage mediums like USB flash drives or CDs.
Additionally, the entrepreneurs can store the data in cloud platforms. There are many cloud-based apps available for small businesses. Choose the right one to reduce the cybercrime rate. Check its features and file-sharing options. Use a cloud service that uses end-to-end encryption. And, it should have an easy user interface and intrusion detection system.
What are the Other Cybersecurity Measures the Small Businesses Need to Follow?
Entrepreneurs should use multi-factor authentication to prevent online attacks. Make an effective mobile device management plan. With this security solution, you can manage all the office devices from one platform. It ensures laptops/PCs are configured according to business policies.
MDM removes the data automatically that are no longer required. Besides, you should limit your Bluetooth usage. Clear the mobile devices’ browsing history every day. Never tap on any ads or open the spam messages. Give the employees an idea about the different cyber attacks.
Update the work-related apps and software to fix the security patches. Don’t share the login information or any password with anyone. Limit file-sharing access and increase cyber security awareness. Contact an IT expert and implement these security measures in the organisation immediately.