Ways To Guard Your Network and Systems Against Cyber Threats

Technology continues to impact the business world. It can increase return on investment, productivity, and mobility at a shrinking expense. However, as useful as tech innovations such as cloud computing, software, and mobile apps can be, they can be a threat to their security. Here are a few tips that can help small businesses guard their software against cyber threats.

Passwords

Most cyber-attacks are often attributed to weak password protocols. Small businesses can guard access to their sensitive data, wireless networks, and IT infrastructure with unique passwords and usernames. Combining symbols, letters, and numbers can help strengthen your password. Using standard dictionary words and easy-to-guess dates to create a password could expose you to hackers. Encrypting a master document containing your login details with a unique passcode can further guard your software against hackers.

Systems

Limiting access to your IT infrastructure can help reduce your exposure to online threats. Small businesses can minimize their points of failure by eliminating unnecessary access to their software and hardware. Whenever possible, try to use a unique set of servers, logins, email addresses, and domain names to minimize the scope of damage to your software.

Training

Carelessness and human error can cause countless security bleaches. However, training can help small businesses build a culture that emphasizes IT infrastructure security. Employee training can help familiarize workers with the risk of using devices, software, and networks carelessly and sloppy password practices. Small enterprises should strive to make all security measures, including how to handle lost passwords and dispose of documents a second-nature to their workers.

Background Checks

While a rogue hacker can infiltrate your system from anywhere, most unauthorized intrusions tend to occur from inside a system or network. Screening everyone in your team, including those working in the executive suite and the mailroom, can help bolster your security system. Experts often recommend an initial trial period, during which workers are limited or prohibited from accessing vulnerable systems and software. Monitoring your team for suspicious activities can also bolster your software security.

Virus Scanners

Whether working remotely, in an office, or from home, installing a virus scanner on your network or PC can pay off. Your network provider can provide such an application for free, but it is prudent to use it cautiously. Updating your software can also help guard against old threats and new viruses. Research between Bitdefender vs Kaspersky virus scanners and choose the one that bests suits your devices.

Cloud Storage

Cloud computing can offer a small business many benefits, including security and cost savings. The cloud could be a security threat, given that data is often stored in remote servers that are managed by vendors who may have their security issues. With the cloud computing technology still in its infancy, it could be wise to store your confidential data on secure servers.

Shredding

Shredding documents with addresses, corporate names, and other confidential information such as bank details and logos of vendors could bolster your security. Making sensitive information accessible for long, let alone overnight, can increase your network’s vulnerability. Small businesses can address such a security threat by changing passwords that were shared with associates regularly. While it may seem obsessive, shredding documents with sensitive information could help prevent a costly data breach.

Calls

Social engineers often pretend to be someone else when preying on unsuspicious victims. It can be prudent to end a call and hang up whenever a purported strategic partner or bank representative asks for sensitive information. Then consider dialing the bank or business associate to confirm the legibility of the call you received.

Small businesses often leverage technology to increase their mobility, productivity and return on investment. However, as useful tech trends are to startup enterprises, they can be a security concern. Small businesses may need strong passwords to guard their software against hackers. Employee training, limiting access to sensitive IT infrastructure, conducting background checks, installing virus scanners, shredding documents, and verifying suspicious calls can help reduce vulnerability to various cyber threats.