No matter the shape or size of your company, cybersecurity should be one of your top priorities. On average, cyberattacks in the US cost small businesses $200,000 per breach. Can you afford to take that hit?
What’s more, cybercriminals are increasingly attacking small and medium-sized enterprises, which often do not have the resources or the know-how to implement a robust cybersecurity policy on their own.
Cybersecurity for business impacts all of us. While the scale of the problem is growing, the tools and tricks to defend against it remain as simple as ever. Read on to find out exactly how to keep your company safe from cybersecurity threats, without breaking the bank.
- Instill Cybersecurity for Business Best Practices
Put simply, your cybersecurity is only as strong as your employees. This is why it is essential to instill cybersecurity best practices among all of your team, making it an integral part of employee training.
Make sure everyone knows how to create a secure password. Enforce regular updates and data backups. Teach everyone what a phishing attack looks like and how to avoid falling victim to one. These tiny steps will make a huge difference.
- Compliance is Key
HIPAA, GDPR, CMMC, and the rest. It might seem like government regulations around cybersecurity are complex and difficult to keep up with, but they are there for a reason. Regulations exist to keep you, your customers, and your partners safe.
You should enlist the help of an expert third party to conduct a compliance audit and tell you what you need to do to get up to code. For example, you can immediately commission a CMMC pre-assessment readiness review to achieve full compliance with this important piece of US regulations. This will help you win lucrative contracts and keep you safe.
- Assess Your Risks
It is impossible to put together a small business cybersecurity plan without a strong understanding of the specific risks you face. You should conduct an audit to look at who is targeting your business and what the most likely attacks you will face will actually look like.
You can use free resources from government agencies like the FCC to conduct a straightforward review of your company and identify where you are vulnerable to cybersecurity threats. By doing this, you can find a cybersecurity solution that works.
- Ringfence Your Data
Your data is your most precious asset, without question. To keep your company, your ideas, your money, and your customers safe, how your data is stored and accessed must be changed. Limit access to sensitive data to as few people as possible.
Back up your data on secure servers. Encrypt files wherever possible. Check that your business website utilizes SSL encryption on every single page. Again, these are routine, very simple steps that will choke off the vast majority of entry points that cybercriminals will attempt to use.
Your Technology Questions, Answered
Cybersecurity for business is a tech topic that is worth billions of dollars and impacts everyone. For more practical advice on the tech questions that affect your bottom line, we have got you covered. Make sure to consult our dedicated Tech guides to learn more.
