Just because yours is a small company with limited resources, you have no reason to miss out on cybersecurity practices. If available research and recent trends are any indicators, hackers and cybercriminals are constantly trying to exploit every security vulnerability, and small and growing businesses are on their radar. That’s primarily because these businesses do not take the necessary steps and are more like to leave loopholes in their network. In this post, we are reviewing the best cybersecurity practices for small businesses.
- Create a cybersecurity plan. From using firewalls, to figuring out how employees will be involved in cybersecurity practices, there are varied aspects that matter for your plan. Compliance is another factor to consider, while there needs to be a comprehensive and clear process for reporting and responding to incidents.
- Train your people. Employees, unfortunately, are the weakest links within the organization when it comes to adhering to cybersecurity practices. It’s surprising that many employees are not even aware of basic types of phishing attacks and malware links, and they end up making small, often unintentional mistakes, which can have a domino effect. Make sure that you hire a cybersecurity expert or invest in means to train your people.
- Focus on all resources. Cybersecurity is not just about protecting network assets and your data, but also about all IoT devices. For example, are you updating your IP camera firmware every month as available? Make sure that all devices, platforms, resources that may matter in cybersecurity are identified, accounted for, and protected.
- Passwords need to be secure. Backdoor passwords have been used by hackers in many cases to infect systems with malware and ransomware. Ensure that every employee is aware of the best password practices. Passwords need to be at least 10 characters long, must have uppercase & lowercase letters, should have special characters and numbers and must be unique. Ensure all default passwords and usernames are changed immediately.
- Figure out BYOD policies. Allowing employees to use their own devices to work at home or office could be a great advantage, but it is also a double-edge sword in many ways. Make sure that you have clear policies on BYOD, and do not allow employees to use public networks to access office resources.
Businesses also need to figure out antivirus, antimalware software for enhanced cybersecurity and should keep a watch on firmware and software updates, which must be installed immediately.