With the many advancements in modern technology, it’s safe to say that every person alive is dependent on it for their day-to-day activities. People use technology for school, work, business, and personal activities. Technology is truly changing people’s lives for the better.
But with those advantages comes many disadvantages: vulnerability to cybercrimes, loss of important data, and basically, being a target for cybercriminals. No one is safe from cybercriminals; that includes individuals, small to medium businesses, global corporations, or even governments.
That’s why it’s important to give cybersecurity the credit and value it deserves for being able to protect those who use it. Cybersecurity is especially important to business owners who can lose everything if they become targets for cybercrimes.
Unfortunately, many people are still hesitant to use cybersecurity measures because they haven’t experienced those crimes themselves. Individuals think that bad things will never happen to them until they do, and by then, it would be too late to prevent the chaos from spiraling out of control.
So, before you experience a cybercrime yourself, do the smart thing as a business owner and protect your data from being stolen or extorted for money. Here are some of the best industry practices to get you started on the right path:
Use a Risk-based Approach
No two companies are the same, which means the cybersecurity measures that work for one business may not work for you. That’s why you need to assess the risks that your business faces and how they affect your regular operations. Strictly following compliance and standard regulations won’t be enough to protect your data.
Through a risk-based approach, you will be able to identify your valuable assets and weaknesses, as well as create adjustments accordingly. This will allow you to reinforce your existing cybersecurity measures in place. Once you diagnose the risks, it will be easier to make the right solutions for them.
This is also the part where security penetration testing comes into play. These tests can help you address your network’s vulnerabilities or misconfigurations that could allow cybercriminals from accessing and exploiting your valuable data. This way, you can stay one step ahead at all times.
Cyber Train Your Employees
The biggest threat that your business will face is uneducated employees that can be targeted for cybercrimes. This is because your employees have access to your network and data, which means that one wrong move on their part can potentially cost you your business.
It’s not enough to create cybersecurity policies that are the best in the field, particularly if your employees don’t take them to heart. If you want to keep your business protected, then you should start by raising awareness about the cyber threats that your employees can face during their daily routines and how they can avoid them.
For instance, employees who are unaware of phishing emails could have clicked on them and are oblivious that they have let a hacker enter the company network. Or this could happen when they are using unauthorized websites while on the restricted network. Awareness goes a long way if you know how to use it properly.
Keep Your Software Updated
Every single day, there are new viruses and malware that are being created by individuals with the intent to harm or exploit others. This means that just because you have defeated some threats yesterday doesn’t mean you can defeat the threats tomorrow.
That is why continuous updates of the cybersecurity software are important because it allows you to be prepared for whatever may come your way. These updates created by your chosen cybersecurity provider give you enough protection against the new viruses that seem to be developed by the minute.
Back up All Your Data
Any business owner in their right mind will know how important it is to back up data. Your company’s data is vital for your current and future success because it acts as the backbone. Without all your accumulated data to refer to, it would be impossible to operate smoothly.
This is because losing even a day’s worth of data can set your business back and disrupt your flow of operations. To function optimally, you would have to recreate all that lost data or even start from scratch which is both a waste of time and energy.
So if you want to make sure that your day-to-day won’t be affected by cyber threats and natural disasters, then you must remember to back up your data. This wouldn’t be as time-consuming as you might think if you use a dependable backup routine.
A wise business owner will do everything in their power to ensure that their business is safe and secured against those that can do them harm. Just like having triple locks on a brick-and-mortar store, you must have multiple layers of protection for your data and other intangible assets.