Cyber Security: How To Prevent Breaches In Your Business

The internet is an excellent tool for businesses to reach new clients and markets from all over the globe. However, the internet is also home to criminals and cyber threats that are out to steal your digital information such as credit card and personal information. For your business to succeed, you must guard against such threats, and here are several cyber security ideas to implement for your business to prevent data breaches.

1. Ensure the Safety of Your Networks

Ensure you protect your internet connection by encrypting your information and using firewall software. If you have set up a Wi-Fi network, also make sure it is hidden and secure. To achieve this, set up your router or wireless access point so that it does not broadcast the name of the network, often referred to as Service Set Up Identifier (SSID). Again, protect the router using a password. You can outsource your network security needs from a reputable company that offers cyber security services.

2. Use Strong Passwords

Using passwords such as ABCD or 1234 makes it easy for hackers to crack your passwords and gain access to your computer system. Thus, ensure you create strong passwords that consist of the alphabet, numbers, and special characters. Creating such strong passwords make it nearly impossible to crack your password. Also, teach your employees the benefits of using strong passwords.

3. Guard Against Malicious Code, Viruses, and Spyware

Ensure you install anti-virus and anti-spyware software on all your business computers and keep them updated at all times. You can purchase such software online from many reputable vendors. The developers of these software often provide updates and patches for their software to address various security issues and improve their performance. Thus, configure all the software to install updates from the developers automatically.

4. Use an On-Screen Keyboard to Enter Critical Information

Currently, hackers have become increasingly sophisticated, and they can monitor your keystrokes using keylogger software, especially when accessing shared networks. However, by using an on-screen or virtual keyboard, you will prevent your keystrokes from being tracked, making the keylogger ineffective. Many financial and banking institutions provide mandatory virtual keyboards for use by their clients. So, make it mandatory for your staff and employees to use this feature.

5. Create Security Policies and Practices

Set up policies that govern how your staff should handle sensitive data and personally identifiable information. Inform them of the outcomes of violating these security policies.

6. Secure Your Backups

Backing up your data is crucial to effective security. Mismanaging and mishandling the backups creates a vulnerability to data theft. For instance, opting for cloud storage lets your data to be stored in a remote location. If you become negligent on your part, you create a security loophole that will allow unauthorized people to access your data. So, ensure you password-protect and encrypt your data before storing it on a remote server or cloud. Encrypting your data gives you an extra layer of protection for the data stored in the cloud, and this will give you peace of mind.

7. Control Physical Access to Network

Prevent unauthorized individuals from using or accessing your business computers. Laptops can be lost or stolen, so keep them locked up in a safe place when not in use. Also, set up separate user accounts for all your employees and make it mandatory for them to follow the strong password policy. Again, only give administrative privileges to trusted key personnel and IT staff.

8. Teach Your Employees about Cyber Security

It is crucial to get your staff educated about cyber security before you suffer any data breaches. Thus:

• Train everyone
• Organize seminars frequently
• Have regular talks with your employees about cyber security
• Teach them how to recognize cyber-attacks
• Test your team’s IT security knowledge often
• Set up clear policies about the use of devices, data breaches, and hacking in your organization
• Identify the threats inside your organization

Following the above cyber security policies will safeguard you and your organization against data breaches that can bring your business finances and reputation down.