Best Cybersecurity Practices for Small and Medium-Sized Businesses

Thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak, small and medium businesses now share cybersecurity threats that large enterprises handle daily. Since far more people work from home, IT staff in enterprises of all sizes have to deal with more vulnerabilities than ever.

As small and medium-sized businesses also have less of a cybersecurity budget than their larger counterparts, they must take a more deliberate and targeted approach to cybersecurity.

Use the strategies below to protect your small to medium-sized business.

At Your Business Location

Securing your small to medium-sized business starts with the basics. Follow these tips to prepare yourself for the onslaught of attacks.

Use a Firewall.

Many businesses are installing both external and internal firewalls to enjoy extra protection.

You also want to have employees that work from home also to install a firewall on their network. Provide your firewall program to employees to ensure standardized security across all devices that connect to your systems.

Update Your Systems.

Update and patch your systems regularly. This step is the simplest way to protect against vulnerabilities.

Install a Reliable Anti-Malware Program

Anti-malware is your insurance against phishing attacks. If you or an employee clicks on a malware attachment, your anti-malware should be able to catch and kill it before it can do damage to your network.

Just like the firewall, provide a copy of anti-malware software to every employee that will access your network.

Use Multi-Factor Authentication

When allowing your employees access to your networks, set up at least a two-factor authentication system.

Do not make a password your only line of defense. Set your system up, so employees need an extra step to get on the network in case a cybercriminal figures out your (or your employees’) password.

Back Up Your Data Remotely

Many small businesses have fallen victim to a ransomware attack, and many have not been able to pay the ransom to reaccess their data. Remotely backing up your data lets you bounce back immediately after such an attack.

Employees at Home

Every employee acts as a gateway for cybercriminals to access your network. Take these steps to protect your employees from their attacks.

Ask Employees to Change Home WiFi Passwords

Your employee’s home security is now the security of your company. Ensure that all of your employees change the default passwords they have on their home networks to a robust and unique password.

Educate All Employees of Phishing Attacks

Let employees know only to click on emails (and attachments) that come from sources they know and trust. Your employees also need to watch for phone and SMS-based attacks.

Give Employees Access to VPNs

Even if employees secure their home WiFi network, they will need to use VPNs to secure their connections. VPNs encrypt your connection so criminals can’t spy on your data. If you’re on a public WiFi at a coffee shop, using a VPN is non-negotiable.

Follow These Steps to Keep You and Your Employees Safe from Cyber Attacks.

Cybercriminals get more sophisticated by the day. Follow these steps immediately to keep yourself and your employees protected. Also, watch the latest security trends and prevention technology to keep your security as attack-proof as humanly possible.